Former Giants coach Pat Shurmur joining Deion Sanders’ staff at Colorado

Pat Shurmur is making a return to collegiate coaching with Deion Sanders at Colorado.

The former Giants and Browns head coach will be joining the Buffaloes as an offensive analyst, according to multiple reports. 

Shurmur, who coached Big Blue for two seasons from 2018-19 through 2019-20, was on campus Friday to finalize the deal before heading home to New Jersey, according to 9News Colorado. 

He is the second former NFL head coach to join Sanders’ staff, as ex-Vikings head man Mike Zimmer also hopped on as an analyst for the Hall of Fame cornerback last year at Jackson State.

The 58-year-old Shurmur’s most recent stop was as offensive coordinator for the Broncos under Vic Fangio during the 2020-21 season, when they averaged just 20.2 points per game.

He did not coach last year despite having a year left on his contract in Denver. 

Shurmur compiled a 9-23 record during his poor tenure with the Giants, and he’s 19-46 overall as an NFL head coach.   

He will, however, bring more than 20 years of NFL experience, as well as time calling plays, to Colorado and offensive coordinator Sean Lewis – who left as Kent State’s head coach to team up with Sanders.  

Shurmur, then an offensive coordinator, was the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year in 2017 as the Vikings reached the NFC Championship.

This will mark his first time coaching at the collegiate level since stints at Michigan State (1988-97) as a graduate assistant and then tight ends, offensive line and special teams coach.

He was also the offensive line coach at Stanford in 1998.

Colorado hired the high-energy Sanders in December to revitalize the program after he posted a 27-5 record over three seasons at Jackson State.

Sanders is currently overhauling the roster — 18 players have entered the transfer portal — while drumming up excitement about the future.

Colorado hosted a crowd of 47,277 for its spring game in April, more than the attendance for the last nine combined.

Sanders has also dealt with some health issues, as he underwent surgery in late June to address two blood clots in his legs amid fear his entire foot may need to be amputated.