BOULDER, Colo. — The University of Colorado Boulder has extended Deion Sanders’ contract as head football coach, CU Athletic Director Rick George announced Friday.
CU said the new contract extension increases Sanders’ yearly base salary to $10 million in 2025, making him the highest-paid football coach in the Big 12.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to continue building something special here at Colorado,” Sanders said. “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 will also be among the top 10 highest-paid head football coaches in the country.
CU said that as a non-profit, public institution, no tuition or state funding dollars are being used to fund the contract. The extension is paid for from the CU Athletic Department budget, which comprises media rights, ticket and merchandise sales, donations and sponsorships.
“Coach Prime has revolutionized college football and in doing so, has restored CU football to our rightful place as a national power,” George said. “This extension not only recognizes Coach’s incredible accomplishments transforming our program on and off the field, it keeps him in Boulder to compete for conference and national championships in the years to come.”
In 2023, Sanders took over a 1-11 football program, leading the team to four games in his first season. Sanders’ team won nine games and reached the Alamo Bowl in 2024.
CU said the football team attracted more than 54 million viewers throughout the 2024 season, including 8 million who watched the Alamo Bowl between Colorado and BYU, the highest viewership in the game’s 32-year history.
Since Sanders’ arrival in 2023, applications to attend CU Boulder increased 20% from a year ago to over 67,000 applications, including a 18% increase in applications from out-of-state, according to CU.
“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,” said CU Chancellor Justin Schwartz. “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.”
The University of Colorado is removing the grass surface of its football stadium for the first time in decades.
The CU Athletic Department confirmed to 9NEWS on Friday that the university will be removing the natural grass turf at Folsom Field and going to an artificial turf surface for the upcoming football season.
In the 101 seasons of football at Folsom Field, the service has been artificial turf for only 28 seasons.
The playing surface at Folsom Field was natural grass until the 1971 season when it was replaced with Astroturf. The artificial turf was removed and reverted back to grass for the 1999 season.
Colorado will hold its spring game this season on Saturday, April 19, at Folsom Field. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2. Tickets are on sale at CUBuffs.com.
The Buffs’ last two spring games have been the two highest attended in CU history with 47,277 fans attending the 2023 game in a snowstorm. That aired live on ESPN. Last season, the second-largest crowd for a spring game in CU history happened, with 28,424 in attendance.
“We’ve got to sell this thing out and pack this thing because the way the trend is going, you never know if this is going to be the last spring game,” said Sanders. “I don’t believe in that. I don’t really want to condone that. I would like to play the spring game. Actually, I like to play against another team in the spring.”
- Friday, Aug. 29 – Georgia Tech
- Saturday, Sept. 6 – Delaware
- Friday, Sept. 12 – at Houston
- Saturday, Sept. 20 – Wyoming
- Saturday, Sept. 27 – BYU
- Saturday, Oct. 4 – at TCU
- Saturday, Oct. 11 – Iowa State
- Saturday, Oct. 25 – at Utah
- Saturday, Nov. 1 – Arizona
- Saturday, Nov. 8 – at West Virginia
- Saturday, Nov. 22 – Arizona State
- Saturday, Nov. 29 – at Kansas State
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