Linked to NFL jobs, Deion Sanders is returning to Colorado for a third season. No significant Cowboys traction emerged, but the Hall of Fame cornerback has come up as a potential option regardless.
For the time being, however, Sanders — who has said he wants to stay at the college level — will have a good reason to stick around at the Big 12 program after his son’s exit. Colorado announced a five-year, $54M extension for its high-profile HC, the Daily Camera’s Brian Howell reports. Three seasons remained on Prime’s previous deal, which was worth $29.5M over five years.
This makes Sanders one of the nation’s highest-paid college coaches. While it would not check in as a top-market NFL HC deal, it certainly would not qualify as a bottom-tier coaching contract in the pros, either. Colorado’s commitment is obviously notable for Sanders’ future NFL prospects, as the Buffaloes are paying up to keep a coach that has reinvigorated their program.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to continue building something special here at Colorado,” Sanders said in a statement. “We’ve just scratched the surface of what this program can be. It’s not just about football; it’s about developing young men who are ready to take on the world. I’m committed to bringing greatness to this university, on and off the field. We’ve got work to do, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but here, making history with these incredible players and this passionate fanbase.”
NFL coaching salaries are not public, as they do not affect the salary cap, but Andy Reid‘s deal — in the $20M-per-year range — is believed to be the top NFL HC salary presently. Jim Harbaugh‘s $16M-per-year salary is viewed as top-five NFL HC money, illustrating how close Sanders is to that level at his current job. He is tied as the fifth-highest coach in college football. Sanders, 57, will receive $10M in base salary in 2025 and 2026, per Howell, who adds the contract calls for $11M salaries over the following two years. A $12M salary is due in 2029. Kirby Smart‘s $13.2M AAV leads the way at the college level.
Notable buyout figures are present in the contract. While leaving this year is unrealistic, Sanders would owe the school $10M if he departed before Dec. 31, 2026, Howell reports. That number drops to $6M on Dec. 31, 2027, $4M by the end of 2028 and $3M by December 2029. NFL teams were not believed to be scared off by Bill Belichick‘s $10M buyout number, so if a club wants to hire Sanders, these figures — especially anything past 2026 — would not be much of a hindrance.
While his transfer-heavy style has not been for everyone, he is far from the only coach to aggressively use the portal in this destabilized period for college sports. Sanders is 13-12 in two Colorado seasons, having improved significantly in Year 2 (9-4) after the 2023 team faded following a hot start. It will be interesting to see how Deion Sanders fares without son Shedeur and 2024 Heisman winner Travis Hunter, though the former Atlanta, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington and Baltimore CB has certainly driven recruiting interest.
The Cowboys’ interest in Sanders was believed to be genuine, as one of Sanders’ former teams once again did not conduct a thorough search. The process involved just four interviews and ended with a surprise Brian Schottenheimer promotion. Sanders was not among those who officially interviewed for the position, but he did speak with Jerry Jones about the job. This marked a notable adjustment for a coach who previously said he was not interested in leaving the college game. The Cowboys’ search (and potentially a Raiders rumor) undoubtedly factored into Sanders’ Colorado extension talks.
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