Deion Sanders Sounds Off on NIL Era, Transfer Portal Rules, Salary Cap & College Football Landscape

Colorado coach Deion Sanders doesn't believe modern college football is a radical change from the past but rather "the game is just positioned differently."

"Money's involved, and any time money's involved people tend to migrate to what they think they can get out of it, instead of what they could put into it — and that's unfortunate," he said to the Associated Press' Pat Graham.

Sanders does, however, acknowledge the challenges created by the absence of an overarching framework for things like NIL, revenue-sharing and the transfer portal.

"A guy like coach (Nick) Saban and some of the other coaches that have walked away from the game not because they can't coach anymore but because they were fed up with how things are operating," he said.

The NFL legend went on to highlight the possible benefits of a firm, more transparent salary cap.

"The thing about the pro game, everybody gets to spend the same amount of money. It's who is crafty in regard to business," he told Graham. "College football isn't like that. You may have a team that's spent $40 million playing against a team who spent $10 million. You darn well know the outcome in that game."

Coach Prime cited the inefficiencies in the present landscape when speaking at a Big 12 coaches' roundtable last summer.

And despite being a big beneficiary of the transfer portal, Sanders would prefer to have more guardrails in place.

"You can't have a 30-year-old man playing against a 21-year-old man and think it's fair," he said. "Should be a transfer rule as well. You're teaching kids not to fight through adversity when you're having kids able to transfer two or three or four times."

Sanders was obviously exaggerating for effect, but some players who have murky outlooks in the NFL are trying to extend their college careers for as long as they can. Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss, who turns 24 in August is on track to have a sixth year of eligibility.

Where he'd land in the draft wasn't much of a concern for Sanders as he left Florida State. A two-time All-American, he went fifth overall to the Atlanta Falcons in 1989.

If NIL existed had existed back then, Coach Prime could've been a millionaire before he played a down at he next level. He doesn't think much about his life or career would've changed compared to reality, though.

"I've had a pretty good run," he said. "I'm still running, too — still high stepping. I'm probably in the third quarter of this game (of life) and we're winning. We're up by about 21. I'm loving life."

Sanders is entering his fourth year at the helm for Colorado. He's looking to improve on a 3-9 finish in 2025.

The Buffaloes open the season on Sept. 3 against Georgia Tech.