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Deion Sanders has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him with Colorado through the 2029 season.
The school announced the move on Friday. It comes after an eventful winter during which Sanders was linked to multiple NFL jobs. Given his sky-high profile, takes flew left and right from pundits all over about whether Sanders should follow his sons to the NFL, about whether he had outgrown Colorado, and about whether he was primed for a bigger gig.
Throughout, Sanders publicly stated he wanted to remain in Boulder.
Now, he has put his money where his mouth is.
“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 fan base. Lastly, anybody got at least a five-bedroom home with acreage for sale?”
According to BuffZone’s Brian Howell, Sanders’ new deal is for 5 years and will be worth $54 million. He’ll make $10 million next season and in 2026. In 2027 and 2028, he’ll earn $11 million. In the final year of his deal, he’ll make $12 million. The CU Board of Regents approved the contract on Friday. Colorado claims Sanders will be the highest-paid coach in the Big 12 next season.
But beyond that, the new salary will place Sanders amongst the highest-paid coaches in all of college football, and it’ll represent a massive investment for Colorado, which nearly doubled its head coach’s salary. Sanders made $5.7 million in 2024. According to the USA Today coach salary database, Sanders ranked 38th among FBS coaches in total annual pay.
Only 7 coaches made $10 million last season — Kalen DeBoer, Mike Norvell, Ryan Day, Lincoln Riley, Steve Sarkisian, Dabo Swinney, and Kirby Smart.
“Coach Prime has revolutionized college football and in doing so, has restored CU football to our rightful place as a national power,” athletic director Rick George said in a statement. “This extension not only recognizes Coach’s incredible accomplishments transforming our program on and off the field, it keeps him in Boulder to compete for conference and national championships in the years to come.”
Colorado has broken attendance and viewership records on a weekly basis under Sanders. Last year’s Alamo Bowl drew 8 million viewers and was the most-watched game in the bowl’s history. The Buffs sold out all but 2 home games in 2024, marking the first time in nearly 20 years that the program sold out at least 4 home games in consecutive seasons.
CU’s release also notes that the university has seen an 18% increase year-over-year in applications from out-of-state students.
When Sanders first agreed to be the CU head coach, he signed a 5-year, $29.5 million deal. He was entering the third year of that contract.
Sanders is 13-12 in 2 seasons as the Buffaloes’ head coach. Colorado went 9-4 last season and found itself in the thick of the College Football Playoff conversation late in the year. The Buffs were 8-2 going into Thanksgiving Week, but lost to Kansas on the road in a game that would shut them out of the Big 12 title game and thus end any pursuit of a CFP bid.
The year before Sanders’ arrival, the Buffs went 1-11. They hadn’t won more than 5 games in a season since 2016. Sanders brought with him the eventual Heisman Trophy winner in Travis Hunter and superstar quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Both players are expected to be first-round picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. They will be the first CU players to be taken in the first round since 2011.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
