Former Steelers QB Joins Deion Sanders’ Staff at Colorado
Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich is joining Deion Sanders’ staff at Colorado, according to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Leftwich interviewed for multiple NFL jobs this past cycle, but now makes the move to college.
Leftwich, who interviewed for the New England Patriots head coach position and Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator job this offseason, last worked as the offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2019-22, winning Super Bowl LV. He was fired by the Buccaneers on Jan. 19, 2023 and spent the entire 2024 season out of football.
On the first day of spring practice, Sanders formally introduced Leftwich to the team. It’s unclear what Leftwich’s formal title will be at Colorado, but it’s expected he’ll be involved with the offense.
A 10-year NFL veteran quarterback, Leftwich spent four seasons as the backup to Ben Roethlisberger with the Steelers.
Leftwich reportedly shown interest in the Steelers offensive coordinator vacancy last offseason, before the club hired Arthur Smith. Leftwich denies that he called the Steelers after Matt Canada was fired during the season in 2023, however.
“These stories about me that’s been coming out, none of them are true,” Leftwich told the Florida Courier in Januar. “Like the story that I called Pittsburgh about another man’s job. .. I would never do that to another coach.”
After his playing days concluded, Leftwich joined his former offensive coordinator with the Steelers, Bruce Arians, in Arizona as a coach and later followed him to Tampa Bay to become the team’s offensive coordinator.
Leftwich’s Tampa Bay offenses finished third, eighth, second and 25th in scoring, with Jameis Winston as his quarterback in the first season and Tom Brady the other three.
Perhaps Leftwich’s new role at Colorado could help him get back into the NFL.
“I just want everybody to do their homework,” Leftwich told the Florida Courier. “It seems like with me, nobody wants to do their homework. For some reason, they don’t want to find out what I really am as a coach, and I don’t know why.”
