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Byron Leftwich, the Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator who helped guide Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to championship glory, has joined Coach Prime’s staff at Colorado. Deion Sanders introduced his newest assistant during a team meeting Tuesday in a video shared by Thee Pregame Show.
The addition gives Colorado’s quarterback room a serious NFL pedigree. Leftwich, who spent four seasons orchestrating one of the league’s most explosive passing attacks in Tampa Bay, brings the kind of expertise that could transform the Buffaloes’ offense in 2025.
“With the quarterbacks, he is going to do what he does. He has a wealth of knowledge,” Sanders told his team with Leftwich standing beside him. “With him and Pat [Shurmur] and what the whole staff brings offensively, we’re going to go to another level. You should feel blessed. This guy knows what he is doing and he’s going to be an intricate part of our success. I already know that. So let’s welcome Coach Leftwich.”
Leftwich’s coaching journey has been meteoric. After starting as an intern in 2016, he quickly climbed through the Arizona Cardinals organization before landing in Tampa. During his time with the Bucs (2019-22), Leftwich’s offenses ranked in the top two in passing each season.
He even helped Brady reach statistical heights the GOAT hadn’t seen in years — his first 5,000-yard season and 40-touchdown campaign in over a decade.
Colorado’s QB Room Gets NFL-Level Coaching
The timing couldn’t be better for Colorado. With Shedeur Sanders headed to the NFL, the Buffs face a pivotal decision at quarterback.
The competition will likely come down to two intriguing prospects — five-star freshman Julian Lewis and Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter. Lewis, who skipped his senior year of high school to enroll early, has drawn comparisons to Bryce Young for his processing and decision-making. He ranked as the nation’s No. 10 QB recruit despite being younger than his peers.
Salter brings proven production after winning Conference USA MVP in 2023 while leading Liberty to the Fiesta Bowl. His arm talent is obvious — he averaged an impressive 9.9 yards per attempt during his breakout sophomore season — but his 58.7% career completion rate suggests room for growth.
That’s where Leftwich comes in.
While Pat Shurmur remains offensive coordinator, Leftwich’s quarterback expertise should prove invaluable. For Lewis, having a mentor with NFL coordinator experience could accelerate his development. For Salter, Leftwich might be the perfect coach to help him refine his accuracy and become a legitimate NFL prospect.
Leftwich interviewed for several NFL head coaching positions in recent years but never landed the top job – Colorado’s gain.
NFL Experience Dominates Colorado’s Coaching Staff
Coach Prime continues building what might be college football’s most NFL-experienced staff. Leftwich joins fellow Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk (running backs) and Warren Sapp (defensive line) as position coaches. Offensive coordinator Shurmur and defensive coordinator Robert Livingston also bring extensive NFL backgrounds.
The Buffaloes face high expectations after their breakout 9-4 season, despite losing both Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter to the NFL Draft. While Leftwich’s formal title hasn’t been announced, his quarterback expertise will be crucial as Colorado looks to maintain momentum.
Before coaching, Leftwich carved out a solid 10-year NFL playing career, throwing for over 10,000 yards across 50 starts and winning a Super Bowl as a Pittsburgh Steelers backup in 2009. His college resume is equally impressive — two-time MAC MVP at Marshall, where he led the Thundering Herd to a remarkable 22-4 record over two seasons.
The addition of Leftwich represents another bold move by Sanders, who continues assembling a coaching dream team in Boulder as the Buffaloes prepare for life without their star quarterback and receiver.
