Why Warren Sapp took $150K salary to be Colorado football GA
According to USA Today's Brent Schrotenboer, Warren Sapp took a job as a Colorado football graduate assistant making "just" $150,000 because of the chance to play for Deion Sanders and his lack of dearth of coaching experience.
"Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp made more than $58 million during his 13-year NFL career but will earn only $150,000 annually in his new entry-level coaching job at Colorado under head coach Deion Sanders, according to employment documents obtained by USA TODAY Sports," Schrotenboer wrote.
"The pay might seem like a comedown for him − $12,500 per month, plus $15,000 in moving expenses. But he wants to work for Sanders, a fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer, and he is starting at the ground floor as a college coach in part because he has little prior coaching experience."
Sapp completed his degree at Texas Seminary Christian University so he can join the Buffs' staff, but he almost wasn't confirmed by CU's brain trust due to his past legal troubles.
Colorado football almost didn't hire Warren Sapp due to anti-domestic violence pledge
CU had a run-in previously with hiring an assistant coach who had a past with domestic violence, and as Schrotenboer relayed in January, that led to the university pledging a no-tolerance policy regarding the issue.
"Sapp also has another history, involving violence against women, that has raised concerns in Colorado at the same time, leading to questions about his hiring there and how the university would address it after a previous scandal there led to pledges of no tolerance for domestic violence," Schrotenboer wrote. "In 2017, Colorado’s then-head coach, athletic director and chancellor were punished after an investigation found they mishandled domestic violence allegations involving a previous assistant football coach."
Sanders got his way with the hiring of his long-time friend, but Sapp will surely be monitored more than anyone else Colorado has brought on over the last seven years.