Deion Sanders Buyout Details in Contract Show Cost for Colorado to Fire Coach
· Yahoo Sports
The Colorado Buffaloes continue to struggle to reach their potential under head coach Deion Sanders.
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Since his son Shedeur Sanders, as well as the Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, went to the NFL, the arrow has been pointing downward.
Colorado may never get someone like Coach Prime to lead their program again, but it’s not even clear at this point whether that’s a good thing.
On Saturday Nov. 7, Colorado played at Arizona State and put up pretty much no fight for most of the game.
It had fans wondering what it’ll take Colorado to move on from Sanders.
Deion Sanders Contract Details
GettyTEMPE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 07: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes walks the tunnel before the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium on November 07, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)In March of 2025, Sanders signed a five-year, $54 million contract extension with Colorado that runs through the 2029 season.
This is what ESPN’s Heather Dinich wrote at the time of the extension:
“Sanders’ base salary will increase to $10 million in 2025, making him the highest-paid football coach in the Big 12 and among the top-10 highest-paid football coaches in the country. According to the contract, Sanders will earn another $10 million in 2026, $11 million in 2027, $11 million in 2028 and $12 million in 2029.”
Why did Colorado give Sanders this extension?
“The university cited Sanders’ impact on the school and its community, noting that applications have increased 20% from a year ago to over 67,000, including an 18% increase in applications from out of state,” Dinich wrote in March 2025. “According to the school, applications from prospective students who identify as Black/African American increased 50.5%, and applications from prospective students who identify as non-white increased 29.3%. Colorado sold out all but two home games last fall, marking the first time the Buffaloes have sold out four or more games in back-to-back seasons since 1995-96. Last season, home football games generated a combined $93.9 million in direct economic impact to the city of Boulder and $146.5 million in total regional economic impact, according to the university.”
Sanders hasn’t necessarily kept the roll going, though.
Deion Sanders Buyout Details
GettyTEMPE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 07: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes stands with teammates in the tunnel before the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium on November 07, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Deion’s buyout details, via Sports Illustrated, depends if he leaves or is fired.
If Sanders is terminated before the end of 2026, SI says the cost is $25.5 million.
If it happens in 2027, the buyout cost would be $17.25 million.
Sanders would actually owe Colorado money if he leaves for a different job — $10 million if he left for a new job before Dec. 31, 2026, with it dropping each year thereafter. That applies whether Sanders accepts another FBS coaching position or a job in the NFL.
A Sanders firing would potentially be more costly than Colorado could afford. The best possible outcome for the Buffs could be to gently nudge Sanders toward taking a job elsewhere, but it’s not clear whether that will happen anytime soon.
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