Deion Sanders' Contract Incentives With Colorado Buffaloes: College Football Playoff Bonus

The Colorado Buffaloes and Coach Deion Sanders agreed on a restructured contract worth five years and $54 million on Friday. This contract includes many incentives as well based on Colorado's success under Sanders.

Feb 6, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Deion Sanders on the red carpet before Super Bowl LIX NFL Honors at Saenger Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes and coach Deion Sanders agreed to a new 5-year $54 million contract on Friday after it was approved by the Colorado board of regents. Included in the deal are numerous incentives.

Deion Sanders Contract Incentives

Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Deion Sanders has a lot of incentives in his new contract with the Colorado Buffaloes. There are ten listed below.

• $150,000 for winning nine games in the regular season
• $100,000 for each additional win after nine wins in the regular season
• $150,000 for playing in the Big 12 Championship Game
• $150,000 for being invited to a non-College Football Playoff Bowl Game
• $400,000 for winning the conference championship or appearing in the College Football Playoff Round One. $400,000 bonus for achieving both and an additional $50,000 for a Round One win. For earning a conference championship and a playoff first round bye, a $450,000 bonus
• $100,000 for appearing in the College Football Playoff Semi-Finals
• $200,000 for appearing in the College Football Playoff Championship game
• $250,000 for winning the National Championship
• $75,000 for Sanders winning Big 12 Coach of the Year
• $150,000 for Sanders winning National Coach of the Year

In 2024 for Colorado, Sanders checked the boxes for winning nine games in the regular season and being invited to a non-College Football. This would add up to an incentive bonus of $300,000 for the 2024 season.

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Colorado Buffaloes Under Coach Deion Sanders

Nov 9, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffalos head coach Deion Sanders in the second half during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images / Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes were in complete disarray following the 2022 season. Colorado went 1-11 and were an afterthought in the sport. Enter Deion Sanders. Sanders was hired by the Buffaloes after coaching Jackson State from 2020 through 2022.

In 2023, Colorado got off to the quick 3-0 start and took the college football world by storm. Every Colorado home guy seemingly had celebrities in the stands wanting to see Coach Prime and the Buffaloes in action. This hot start was short lived, as Colorado struggled mightily in conference play. They finished the season with a 4-8 record.

Things turned around in Sanders’ second year in 2024. Colorado went 9-3 in the regular season and made it to the Alamo Bowl, where they fell to the BYU Cougars. Just two years after going 1-11, Sanders had this program kncoking on the door of the Big 12 Championship.

Additionally, Colorado has two projected first round picks in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft in quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter. Last season, Sanders won Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year while Hunter brought home the 2024 Heisman Trophy.

Sanders is currently viewed as the No. 2 quarterback in this draft class, only behind Miami Hurricanes qaurterback Cam Ward. Hunter on the other hand is a consensus top five to ten pick and is likely going to start his NFL playing career as a cornerback, as that is what he was listed at at the 2025 NFL Combine.

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