Deion Sanders loves developing young men as a college football coach, but his major mission was coaching his sons and Travis Hunter, rebuilding two programs from ash to major brand and proving he could win on the Power 5 level.
Deion Sanders Defends Criticism Of Shedeur Sanders
“We’ve already won,” said Deion in a presser on Monday referring to the draft drama surrounding his son Shedeur. “Do I look stressed, No, I’m blessed.”
Sanders’ college mission is almost complete, as his son Shedeur and Hunter are expected to be Top 10 picks in April’s NFL Draft and his other son, Shilo, is sure to get a free agent invite to someone’s camp, if he’s not selected.
Can Colorado Afford To Keep Deion Sanders As Head Football Coach?
While Deion prepares for his first Spring with the Colorado Buffaloes without any of his sons present, the tone surrounding his commitment to the program has changed in recent weeks. Sanders said in 2024 that he’d be willing to remain in Boulder for another decade – if the money is right. As of now, he hasn’t been offered a contract that’s too his liking.
However, with Sanders’ name constantly being touted for a high-level coaching job throughout college and the NFL and lack of finances being an issue, it appears that the clock is definitely running on Coach Prime’s Colorado experience.
Colorado NIL Collective Isn’t Cutting Checks
According to reports, CU AD Rick George and the collective, have reportedly not offered Coach Prime any cash to pay players. Sanders has publicly expressed frustration about it, and that’s not a good sign.
But Sanders has made comments on various outlets that have also led to a cloudy perception of his future in Boulder. Earlier this month, Sanders made a remark about money on a show called The Morning Run.
After praising Boulder and its scenic beauty, Sanders said, “These people better go and get money money and stop playing. Bye. Bye.”
Deion Sanders’ Contract With Colorado Buffs: Wants His Coaches Paid First
Sanders, 57, is in the third year of a five-year contract at Colorado that runs through 2027. He hauled in $5.7 million last year, which ranked fourth among public schools in the Big 12 Conference.
Sanders addressed recent speculation about his future in Boulder on Monday by putting his situation aside and stressing the importance of locking in his stable of star-studded coaches.
Asked if there were contract talks with the university, Sander said, “Maybe.”
Sanders wants to get his people paid and that can be a good and bad thing. It could indicate that he’s
“We have a couple more huge moves we’ll probably make this week, maybe one next week that you’re gonna really appreciate the understanding of how wonderful this staff is,” Sanders said. “I always tell you, the rod and thy staff, they comfort me. And these guys we’re bringing in, along with these guys I just announced, gives me tremendous comfort.”
Colorado asked for a big-time program and that’s exactly what Coach Prime has been building, bringing in his HOF friend Marshall Faulk as the Buffs’ RB coach and promoted Warren Sapp to pass rush coordinator.
Coach Prime Building Star-Studded Coaching Staff
Sanders recently secured former NFL lineman Domata Peko as a defensive line coach. Colorado recently gave a new contract to defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, which nearly doubled his pay from $800,000 last year to $1.5 million.
But a new contract has not yet been announced for offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who is due to make $850,000 this year under his current deal.
Sanders has said that he’s staying at Colorado and will not be chasing his sons to the NFL. So far, he hasn’t, despite their being legitimate talks with NFL teams to bring him on in some capacity.
Is Deion Sanders Manipulating Shedeur’s Draft Position Behind The Scenes?
Rumors have surfaced that Shedeur’s reported draft drop is the workings of his dad, who told us previously that he wouldn’t be vocal during Shedeur’s draft process, but he would be doing his thing “behind the scenes.”
Deion’s also vehemently insisted that his son will not be going to a team that doesn’t have the coaches and offensive game plan to maximize his talents. So, all of the talk about Shedeur dropping out of the first round and his “arrogance” might all be game.
Former NFL player Dominique Easley appeared on the Shadow League “Locker Room” show and agreed that Deion could already have Shedeur going to the Raiders to sit behind Geno Smith and gain some experience, saying “Everybody knows the connection between Deion and Vegas.”
In the meantime, Sanders also announced Monday that his team’s annual intrasquad spring game on April 19 will be televised by ESPN2 and said his team’s pro timing day for all 32 NFL teams will be in Boulder on April 4.
