Bold opening: Colorado grabs a high-profile NFL name to shore up their secondary, signaling a clear shift toward pro-style coaching pedigree. And this is the part that gets people talking... but here’s the full picture. Colorado has announced that Vonn Bell will serve as the safeties coach for the 2026 season, after initially joining the Buffaloes as a defensive analyst. The news, shared by the team on February 28, 2026, confirms Bell’s elevation to safeties coach, following the departure of former defensive coordinator and safeties coach Robert Livingston, who left to take the Denver Broncos’ defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach role. Bell had already been with Colorado since last year, but Saturday marked his formal recognition on the coaching staff. Bell’s rise comes just over a year after he finished his nine-year NFL career. A 2016 second-round draft choice, he started 117 of 139 NFL games with the Saints, Bengals, and Panthers, amassing 501 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, eight interceptions, 16 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, one fumble return for a touchdown, and 39 passes defended. His college resume features a standout tenure at Ohio State from 2013 to 2015, where he started at free safety and contributed to the 2014 national championship team, earning first-team All-American honors in 2015. Bell’s hiring continues Colorado head coach Deion Sanders’ pattern of enlisting former NFL stars as assistants, a trend that also includes offensive line coach Andre Gurode on the current staff. The program has already seen other Pro Football Hall of Famers involved, such as Marshall Faulk and Warren Sapp, though both have since moved on in various capacities. The broader takeaway: Colorado seems to be leaning into a coaching philosophy that blends elite NFL experience with college talent development, aiming to maximize the program’s performance through high-demand, high-visibility coaching hires.
