Deion Sanders Faces Pressure To Turn Around Colorado Buffaloes

Colorado Football Coach Deion Sanders Brings Portable Toilet On Sidelines At Season Opener After Bladder Cancer Diagnosis Full view BOULDER, COLORADO - APRIL 22: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes watches as his team warms up prior to their spring game at Folsom Field on April 22, 2023 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

The transition from college football to the NFL is one of the most uncertain periods in an athlete’s life, especially for children of famous parents. In this case, that means Deion Sanders and his son, Shedeur Sanders.

Deion Sanders is a Pro Football Hall of Famer. He won Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys and also played for the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens.

He’s a legend and currently the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes. The Buffaloes are at a crossroads, with Sanders now under pressure after a disappointing 2025 season and the departure of several players to the transfer portal. As he works to rebuild the program through recruiting, there are also questions about the role of his son, Deion Sanders Jr., who runs the Well Off Media YouTube channel covering the team.

Sanders Jr. was recently on a video call with the director of player personnel, Darius Darden-Box, to get updates on recruiting. He said, “There are 10 people here on campus—some good families, a lot of Florida kids. We’ve got five guys committed from the state of Florida. I’m trying to make Deion Sanders proud with that.”

Many fans were upset with Sanders in 2023, his first season with the Buffaloes. Colorado started the year hot but drew attention mainly for its use of the transfer portal instead of traditional high school recruiting. Now, with the Indiana Hoosiers winning a national title built from the transfer portal under coach Curt Cignetti in just two years, there are comparisons and added pressure on Sanders and the Buffaloes.

Sanders is on a five-year, $54 million contract that runs through 2029. If he is fired, the program may owe him a buyout north of $30 million, making a coaching change financially difficult.

Just two seasons ago, Sanders led Colorado to a 9-4 season and coached Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who was the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Not all is bad for him: Shedeur Sanders could be the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns if Deshaun Watson is not healthy.

With all that said, Deion Sanders faces significant pressure this season.