Shedeur Sanders’ 2025 NFL Draft drop came as a shock to many. Experts blamed it on his father, Deion Sanders’ premature announcement of pulling an Eli on certain teams. But at the same time, the narrative of Coach Prime taking up the job of the next coach that drafted Shedeur was trending big time.
While Prime took necessary measures to rectify the narrative prior to the Draft, it showed little to no effect on Shedeur’s draft stock.
Speaking as a guest speaker at Epicor Insights, 2025 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Deion Sanders shed light on how his decision to rush a signing extension with the Colorado Buffaloes was related to Shedeur’s Draft.
Deion Sanders’ $54 Million Move To Help Shedeur and Shilo
Deion Sanders stated that he’d signed a $54 million extension with the Colorado Buffaloes in late March 2025, a few weeks leading up to the Draft. While signing the extension meant more commitment for him, Deion had other strategic reasons for making this move.
More particularly, Deion Sanders made the extension move to secure the future of his sons, Shedeur Sanders and Shilo Sanders. These two were likely to be signed, and Deion felt the urge to smooth their path by signing the extension, which, according to him, would weed out any potential conflicts of interest with NFL coaches.
Explaining his decisions, Deion said, “I tried to hurry up and sign the deal.” He added:
“First off, I wanted to get my coaches straight and NIL stuff straight because that stuff is crazy right now. Now it’s pay-per-view with these kids. Because I didn’t want it to affect my other kids. You know, like those pros thinking I want their jobs and would treat my kids unfairly. So I didn’t want that to happen. That’s kind of why I signed expeditiously.”
Although the narrative was put to rest after Deion committed to Colorado, but there were still some lingering doubts in the minds of the executives.
What the Extension Move Means for Coach Prime
The extension deal with the Buffs means more perks and commitment in equal measure for Deion Sanders.
As part of the deal, Deion Sanders is entitled to a base salary of $500,000. He’ll also get supplemental salary payments that add up to a whopping $9.5 million in the first 2 years of the contract, which increases by $1 million in 2027 and $1 million in 2029. Added together, he’ll receive a total salary of:
- $10 million in 2025 and 2026
- $11 million in 2027 and 2028
- $12 million in 2029
Meanwhile, Coach Prime will access incentives and allowances each season per the agreement.
Salary and other perks aside, this contract demands more commitment from Deion Sanders. The increase in money implies that he or any new employer would have to dig deeper to buy out a new agreement with Coach Prime.
In 2025, Coach Prime’s buyout has surged from $8 million to $12 million. Similarly, for 2026, it will jump from the standard $5 million to $10 million. And in 2027, it will now be at $6 million instead of $2 million.
Even if Coach Prime decides to leave in 2028 or 2029, he’d incur significant penalties of $4 million and $3 million, respectively.
The revised contract makes it more difficult for Deion Sanders to leave the Buffs early. The move ensures a firm commitment to his role and team.
While the deal cemented Deion Sanders’ commitment with the Buffs, it barely delivered one of his primary targets, Shedeur Sanders and Shilo Sanders’ draft. As Shilo Sanders went undrafted, Shedeur Sanders dropped to the unexpected 144th position!
Do you think it had to do with their father, Deion Sanders?
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