Deion Sanders, CFB's Highest-Paid Coaches After Colorado HC's $54M Contract Extension

Colorado's Deion Sanders is now among the 10 highest-paid head coaches in college football after agreeing to a new contract Friday.

According to Brian Howell of the Boulder Daily Camera, the Colorado board of regents approved a five-year, $54 million contract that will pay Sanders $10 million in 2025 and 2026, $11 million in 2027 and 2028, and $12 million in 2029.

Per CBS Sports' John Talty, Sanders is tied with North Carolina's Bill Belichick as the eighth-highest-paid head coach in college football in 2025 with a salary of $10 million.

Here is a full rundown of the 10 highest-paid coaches in terms of their 2025 salary:

1. Kirby Smart, Georgia, $13.2 million

2. Ryan Day, Ohio State, $12.5 million

3. Dabo Swinney, Clemson, $11.5 million

4. Dan Lanning, Oregon, $11 million

5. Steve Sarkisian, Texas, $10.8 million

6. Lincoln Riley, USC, $10.1 million

7. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama, $10.25 million

T8. Deion Sanders, Colorado, $10 million

T8. Bill Belichick, North Carolina, $10 million

10. Brian Kelly, LSU, $9.9 million

Sanders, 57, is a Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback who received his first collegiate head coaching opportunity at FCS Jackson State in 2020.

He quickly turned the program around, going 27-6 over three seasons, thanks largely to bringing in top-end recruits such as his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter.

Coach Prime landed the Colorado job in 2023 and brought both Shedeur and Hunter with him. While he went only 4-8 in his first season in Boulder, it was an improvement over the Buffaloes' 1-11 record in 2022.

Things came together nicely in 2024 with Colorado improving to 9-4. The Buffs also produced the Heisman Trophy winner in Hunter and the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in Shedeur Sanders.

With Hunter and Shedeur entering the 2025 NFL draft, there was some speculation regarding whether Coach Prime might try to follow them to the NFL.

While no formal interview took place, Sanders did have a discussion with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones over their head coaching vacancy. Dallas ultimately elevated offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to head coach.

Although it is always possible for coaches to move on at any time, the new contract likely increases Sanders' odds of remaining at Colorado for the foreseeable future at the very least.