Sports & Recreation  March 28, 2025

Coach Prime inks $54M extension at CU through 2029

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Deion Sanders smiles during a humorous moment during the press conference announcing his hiring as University of Colorado football team’s 28th head coach at the Touchdown Club at Folsom Field on Dec. 4, 2022. Courtesy Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado
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BOULDER — Deion Sanders could be sticking around Boulder for at least a few more years after the University of Colorado head football coach inked a contract extension Friday.

Coach Prime’s $54 million deal, which now extends through 2029, boosts his 2025 salary to $10 million, making Sanders one of college football’s highest-paid coaches. His salary increases each year, reaching $12 million in 2029.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to continue building something special here at Colorado,” Sanders, an NFL hall of famer who took over the Buffs football team in late 2022 and has since breathed life into a long-stagnant program, said in a prepared statement. “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 has led CU to a 13-12 record over his first two seasons after taking over leadership of the program coming off of the Buffs’ one-win 2022 campaign. Travis Hunter, a two-way player for the Buffs who is expected to be selected early in the upcoming NFL draft, won the 2024 Heisman trophy.

Sanders’ fame — in addition to his stellar NFL career, he played professional baseball and spent years as an NFL broadcaster — and bombastic personality has made Boulder one of college football’s main centers of attention since he arrived from Jackson State University.

“Coach Prime’s impact on the university and Boulder community has been remarkable. Due in part to Coach Prime’s engagement and the visibility he’s created, applications to attend CU Boulder increased 20% from a year ago to over 67,000, including a 18% increase in applications from out-of-state,” according to a CU news release. “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%.”

CU estimates that the Buffs football program accounted for $146.5 million in total regional economic impact during the 2024 season. 

“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,” CU chancellor Justin Schwartz said in a statement. “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.”

Deion Sanders could be sticking around Boulder for at least a few more years after the University of Colorado head football coach inked a contract extension Friday.

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A Maryland native, Lucas has worked at news agencies from Wyoming to South Carolina before putting roots down in Colorado.
Categories: Boulder Higher education Sports & Recreation Sunday Weekly Today's News Coach Prime Deion Sanders University of Colorado
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