Bengals' Robert Livingston expected to be named defensive coordinator on Deion Sanders' staff at Colorado, per reports

Coach Prime finds his guy to lead the Buffs defense

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Deion Sanders has found his next defensive coordinator. Cincinnati Bengals secondary coach Robert Livingston is expected to be Boulder bound, per a report by NFL Network's Ian Rapaport. 

After a little over a month of speculation, Coach Prime landed on the longtime assistant, who has spent the past 12 years in the Queens City. Livingston started out as a scout for the Bengals in 2012 and moved over as a position coach four years later. Cincinnati has scrapped together a winning record in two of the past three seasons, which includes a Super Bowl run in 2021. 

Sanders teased that the next defensive coordinator would bring more NFL experience. He also said this would be the "right hire" for the Buffs. Many thought Prime would have benefited from trying out Rex Ryan or Ed Reed, but neither were ready to hit the recruiting trail, according to a source. 

Livingston replaces Charles Kelly who left Colorado on Christmas Day for a co-defensive coordinator job at Auburn. The Buffs had some of the worst marks in the Pac-12 during Kelly's only year in Boulder. He came over after being under Nick Saban at Alabama.