Sapp’s Hiring at Colorado Met With Harsh Criticism

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Waren Sapp and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

The addition of Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp to Deion Sanders’ coaching staff at the University of Colorado is being met with some harsh criticism.

In a recent column, Buff Zone’s Pat Rooney picked apart the hiring of Sapp because of his history of legal problems, including multiple incidents of violence toward women.

“The ‘NFL-izing’ of the CU football program under head coach Deion Sanders continued with the addition of Sapp, likely the most famous graduate assistant to ever grace the sideline of a major college football program,” Rooney wrote. “He arrives with a gold jacket as a Pro Football Hall of Famer, along with a list of relatively recent legal transgressions dominated by assaults against women.”

Controversy Has Followed Warren Sapp Since College Days

Sapp has been dogged by controversy since he was a college star at the University of Miami.

An investigative report by the NFL sent out to teams the night before the 1995 NFL draft disclosed Sapp failed seven drug tests during his time at Miami, including one for cocaine. Sapp dropped from a possible top-five pick to the Buccaneers at No. 12 overall — one of two Hall of Famers selected in the first round that year alongside linebacker Derrick Brooks at No. 28.

Sapp played in the NFL from 1995 to 2008 and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2013.

Since the end of his playing career, Sapp’s life away from the field has been troubled. He was arrested on charges of domestic assault in 2010, although those charges were later dropped

In Feb. 2015, Sapp was arrested on charges of assault and solicitation of a prostitute in Arizona the morning after the Super Bowl. Sapp was fired from the NFL Network following the arrest and later pled guilty to two misdemeanors in that case to avoid jail time.

In April 2015, Sapp was arrested after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend in Las Vegas. Sapp also reached a plea deal in that case to avoid jail time.

Sapp was also one of several former NFL players named in a 2017 lawsuit against the NFL Network filed by a former wardrobe stylist alleging a long list of sexual harassment claims.

Deion Sanders Brings Sapp Into Evolving Program

Colorado improved from 1-11 in 2022 to 4-8 in 2023 in Sanders’ first season as head coach, including a 3-0 start to the season.

Sapp spent time around the team in 2023 before Sanders hired him as a graduate assistant in March 2024. According to USA Today, Sapp will be payed $150,000 annually in his new role.

Sapp made approximately $58 million playing in the NFL but filed for bankruptcy in 2012 after the IRS said he owed approximately $942,000 in back taxes and he was $876,000 behind on alimony and child support payments. PNC Bank was awarded a judgement of almost $1 million against Sapp in 2010.

“These points do not make up the background of someone who has made a regrettable, one-time, youthful mistake,” Rooney wrote. “These are habitual actions from a retired player who should’ve known better. And now he’s part of Buff Nation. Be proud.”

Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders and Cincinnati Bengals. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame