George Hegamin was already a player with the Dallas Cowboys when Deion Sanders arrived as a free agent in 1995.
“On the first day we met, we basically hit it off from then,” Hegamin said. “When Prime walks into a locker room, I know what you guys kind of see what he is now, but he’s always been that guy.”
That instant connection with Sanders nearly three decades ago and long-time friendship since then has led to Hegamin now joining Sanders in Boulder. Sanders, the head coach of the Colorado football team, hired Hegamin as director of leadership and engagement this week.
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“We knew that eventually we would be able to bring our forces together and be able to help young men be able to do what they’re doing,” Hegamin said. “So I’m glad to be here.”
In his new role, Hegamin will focus on helping CU players who have a chance to play professionally prepare for their futures.
“Our coaches do a great job of doing what they do on the field, but the thing about our kids is, most of them want to transition to be pros one day,” Hegamin said. “So with that being said, there’s a whole lot more than just what you know on the field. The difference between a player and a pro is a pro is going to attack his plan, have a plan every single day.”
Hegamin, 51, who was born in New Jersey, has been through all of the steps the players have gone through or could go through in the future. He played at North Carolina State and then was selected in the third round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Cowboys. He played seven years in the NFL and was a part of the Cowboys’ Super Bowl XXX title team, along with Sanders.
From 2008-13, he worked as the executive director of Sanders’ Prime Prep Academy. Hegamin has also worked at Under Armour, the NFL Players Association and, most recently, at IMG Academy in Florida in various roles.
“Because I’ve made that transition from high school to college, college to the pros, won a Super Bowl, then transitioned out, I’m one of the better people to be able to do that,” he said of helping the young players look to the future. “Not just because of what I know, but because who I’ve been mentoring.”
Hegamin said that “at least” 15 players he has worked with have gone on to the NFL, including San Francisco 49ers tackle Trent Williams and Alabama tackle JC Latham, who is projected as a first-round pick in this month’s draft.
“These are all guys that I’ve helped mentor to get to where they want to go,” Hegamin said. “So I’m gonna do the same thing here. This is something, this is my lifeblood. I love coaching. I love working with kids. I love working with young staff members. It matters when you have people in the building that not just know what they’re doing but love what they’re doing.”
During the 2023 season, Hegamin watched Coach Prime go through his first season with the Buffs. It was a great start, at 3-0, but a struggle to the finish as CU went 4-8, 1-8 in the Pac-12. Hegamin is happy to do his part to make this year better.
“I didn’t want to see my brother go through what he was going through,” Hegamin said. “I was tired of sitting on the sofa watching it. Our stars lined up and I got an opportunity to come and help us achieve the things that we want to achieve.”