Vonn Bell is now the safeties coach at Colorado.
Colorado announced Saturday that Bell will coach the Buffaloes’ safeties in 2026 after joining their staff as a defensive analyst.
Black & Gold Staff Updates. https://t.co/0xlKlgnkIi pic.twitter.com/7MThn6lJ3P
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) February 28, 2026
Bell has actually been with the Buffaloes since last year, but had not formally been announced as a member of Colorado’s coaching staff until Saturday. His promotion to safeties coach comes after former Colorado defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, who doubled as Colorado’s safeties coach, left the Buffaloes to be the defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach for the NFL’s Denver Broncos.
He becomes the Buffaloes’ safeties coach just over a year after the conclusion of his NFL career. A second-round pick in the 2016 NFL draft, Bell played in the NFL for nine seasons, starting 117 of 139 games with the New Orleans Saints, Cincinnati Bengals and Carolina Panthers. For his career, Bell recorded 501 tackles with 27 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, eight interceptions, 16 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, one fumble return touchdown and 39 passes defensed.
Bell played for Ohio State from 2013-15, starting at free safety for the Buckeyes’ 2014 national championship team and earning first-team All-American honors in 2015.
His hiring continues a trend of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders – a Pro Football Hall of Famer himself – hiring former NFL stars as assistant coaches. Bell joins offensive line coach Andre Gurode as former NFL players on Colorado’s current staff. Pro Football Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk and Warren Sapp were on Colorado’s staff last year, but Sapp resigned from his position as defensive pass rush coordinator this week while Faulk left to become the head coach at Southern. Former NFL defensive tackle Domata Peko was also on Colorado’s staff last season as defensive line coach, but left to become the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive line coach.
