Deion Sanders was entering a dumpster fire when he came on as the head football coach for the Colorado Buffaloes in 2022. His first season in charge was encouraging and disappointing all at once. But his second year in 2024 proved that Sanders is, in fact, building something in Boulder.
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He took a program that was 1-11 in 2022 and had one winning season since 2005. All he did was turn them into a 9-4 squad that was ranked on the AP poll in just two years on the job. His ability to recruit top talent across the country and draw fans and eyeballs to Buffs games has transformed the entire program, and arguably the whole school.
Sanders has said he wants to stay in Boulder with the Buffaloes for the long haul. He said he wanted to “plant a flag” at the university. Turn the program into a perennial contender in the College Football Playoff. Many doubted him, but he has proved that he was standing on business. On Friday, Brian Howell announced that he’d signed a new five-year deal to stay with the Buffaloes.
“The Colorado Buffaloes and Deion Sanders have agreed to a five-year, $54 million extension, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in the nation.”
The Colorado Buffaloes and Deion Sanders have agreed to a five-year, $54 million extension, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in the nation, per @BrianHowell33. pic.twitter.com/xhQxQKLw85
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 28, 2025
The deal pays Sanders $10.8 million per year, which ranks him as the fourth-highest paid college football coach in the nation, above Texas HC Steve Sarkisian. Georgia’s Kirby Smart is the highest-paid, at $13.2 million, followed by Ohio State’s Ryan Day ($12.5 million), Clemson’s Dabo Swinney ($11.5 million), and Oregon’s Dan Lanning ($11 million).
BREAKING: Colorado’s board of regents have approved a new 5-yr, $54 million contract for head coach Deion Sanders that will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the country. Yearly base salary breakdown:
2025: $10M
2026: $10M
2027: $11M
2028: $11M
2029: $12M#cubuffs— Brian Howell (@BrianHowell33) March 28, 2025
Considering his influence and impact on the Colorado football program, some are viewing Sanders’ top-five contract as an insult. One fan said he, “made them so much money, this a pay cut fr.” In classic Deion Sanders discourse fashion, other fans thought the exact opposite, with one saying, “Bruh, it’s crazy how a name gets you paid. He’s literally done nothing to deserve that kind of money.”
Most fans were simply congratulating Sanders for the big payday, as they see why he deserves such a high salary, considering what he’s bringing to the table: “He’s prob the only coach name wise that actually brings the value back with his brand. Besides Nick Saban but he is now retired.”
Another also joked that “His son will make more than him lol,” referring to Shedeur Sanders, who is likely to be a top 10 pick in this year’s NFL Draft. The fan is a little bit off, however. Last year, top pick Caleb Williams signed for four years and about $39 million.
Shedeur won’t go No. 1, but he won’t be far behind, so he can expect something in the range of seven to nine million a year. Not quite out-earning his pops yet, but that is certain to change when Shedeur signs his second NFL contract down the line.
