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Former Jackson State coach and NFL legend Deion Sanders took to his X account to react to the hire of Terrell Buckley as coach of Mississippi Valley State University. Buckley is the latest former NFL player to start his coaching career at an HBCU, following in the path of Sanders.
“Proud of u my brother,” Sanders said in a post screenshotting Black Enterprises's graphic promoting the hire.
Buckley quoted the tweet and responded, “Thank you brother! Proud of you too. Thanks for the support. You are the blueprint.”
Terrell Buckley's hiring at Mississippi Valley State marks a special homecoming. Born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, Buckley first gained recognition in high school football before continuing his career at Florida State. As a Seminole, he became a standout player, earning a spot as a two-year starter and three-year letterman from 1989 to 1991.
He left Florida State as the program's all-time leader in interceptions (21) and interception return yards (501), with his NCAA record for career interception return yardage still standing today. In 1990, Buckley received the prestigious Jim Thorpe Award, recognizing him as the nation’s top cornerback, and went on to finish seventh in Heisman voting during his senior year in 1991.
Buckley was selected as the fifth overall pick by the Green Bay Packers in the 1992 NFL Draft. He achieved an impressive feat by recording at least one interception in 13 consecutive seasons. Despite having over 50 career interceptions, he, like Florida A&M legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ken Riley, never made a Pro Bowl. During his rookie season in 1992, Buckley set a record as the youngest player in NFL history to return a punt for a touchdown, at just 21 years and 105 days old—a record that still stands. Interestingly, it was the only punt return touchdown of his career.
Buckley brings a wealth of diverse coaching experience, having served as an assistant safeties and wide receivers coach at his alma mater, Florida State. He has also coached cornerbacks at Akron, Louisville, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss, and gained head coaching experience in the UFL with the Orlando Guardians.
And, as a former Flordia State Seminole and and NFL player now at a Mississippi-based HBCU, he looks to capture the magic that Deion Sanders did in his two-and- a-half seasons at Jackson State.
