March 28 (UPI) — The Colorado Buffaloes signed football coach Deion Sanders to a five-year, $54 million contract extension, Sanders confirmed Friday.
Colorado said that the pact, which runs through the 2029 season, will make Sanders one of the Top 10 highest-paid coaches in college football. Sanders’ base salary will increase to $10 million in 2025.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to continue building something special here at Colorado,” Sanders said in a news release. “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?”
Sanders, who drew interest from the Dallas Cowboys this off-season, is 13-12 over the last two seasons with the Buffaloes. They went 4-8 in his first season and 9-4 in 2024-25, while led by his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and Heisman Trophy winning wide receiver-cornerback Travis Hunter.
Sanders, 57, led Jackson State to a 27-6 mark from 2020-21 through 2022-23 before he came to Boulder, Colo.
Under Sanders, the Buffaloes said their 2023-24 home games brought in $93.9 million in direct economic impact to the city of Boulder and $146.5 million in total regional economic impact.
“Coach Prime has revolutionized college football and in doing so, has restored CU football to our rightful place as a national power,” Buffaloes athletic director Rick George said.
“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.”
The Buffaloes will start their 2025-26 campaign against Georgia Tech on Aug. 29 in Boulder.
“CU Boulder is one of the most innovative campuses in the country, so it’s only natural and appropriate that we have the most innovative coach as well,” Colorado chancellor Justin Schwartz said.
“Coach Prime has done a masterful job transforming CU Boulder’s football program into the must-watch matchup nationwide, week after week, and I’m excited to see what the team will accomplish under his leadership in the next five years.
“He is also committed to a program with the highest level of integrity that emphasizes our student-athletes’ academic performance and helps them achieve their post-football career goals.”
