Colorado football coach Deion Sanders brings attention. Eyeballs. Clicks. In today’s football landscape, all of that matters. At least it did. Maybe not so much anymore.
What the Pro Football Hall of Famer doesn’t bring is patience. Long-term player development thinking. Program building.
Deion wants to win, and win right now – his way. And even in this era of the transfer portal and the “quick fix,” in the college game, that’s still a far more “professional” way of approaching things as opposed to even the newfangled college way. Sanders says the right things about his players going to class, getting their degrees and all of that, but the way he manages a program and coaches on the field screams out “professional football.”
From day one, it’s been about the quick fix rather than the steady climb. He wanted – and did – make an immediate splash. More so off the field than on.
After a dismal 2025 season, Sanders has trumpeted the “I alone can fix this” message (where have we heard that before?) when he talks about the future of his Colorado Buffaloes football program. Not “we.” Just “I.” He’ll tell anyone who cares to listen that “I know this game like the back of my hand.”
Whoever’s along for the ride better be ready to do things his way.
His coaching staff is filled with former pros – very good players, even fellow Hall of Famers – who arrive in Boulder having next to no college football coaching experience. They recruit not by going out and watching kids play on Friday night and then visiting them at their homes. No, just like the NFL, the free agents have to come and visit him.
That part hasn’t worked out too well. CU just signed another small, below-average high school recruiting class. But that’s fine with Deion. He would much rather go after it in the transfer portal – the same way he successfully did three years ago when he first arrived in Boulder. Problem is that his competition has caught up in that area while kicking his behind on the high school recruiting trail.
The fact is, we’ve reached the point now where the Deion Effect is fading. College Gameday isn’t coming to Boulder just because he’s on the sidelines anymore. CU is not in the headlines – unless they’re getting boat-raced by Utah – and the celebrities aren’t showing up and tweeting anymore. Not as many blue chip, high caliber players are willing to ask for an audience with him.
The Deion Experiment (and remember, he had no other significant ‘Power’ conference coaching offers when CU lured him, his son Shedeur and Travis Hunter away from HBCU school Jackson State – so it basically was an experiment three years ago for athletic director Rick George) has had mixed results. There hasn’t been this much attention paid to Colorado football since the glory days of Bill McCartney almost three decades ago. There was a bowl game and a Heisman Trophy. On the other hand, the win-loss record over three seasons is just two games better than it was the previous three seasons under three different head coaches… and just a couple games better than since-fired Jay Norvell’s tenure at Colorado State.
And now there’s a report that says the financial reward isn’t all it was supposed to be, either – the program is actually looking at a big deficit for the next fiscal year.
The arrangement has certainly been beneficial (financially and in other ways) for the Sanders family and those in their orbit. Aside from all the money he’s made – and will continue to make based on his guaranteed contract – Deion has also received incredible medical care for some very serious, life-threatening health conditions. Who knows what happens with him health-wise if these issues pop up when he’s still at Jackson State? Do they have doctors there that can build him a new bladder?
But has it worked out as planned for CU? Not exactly. A projected negative of $27 million next year that will require additional funds from student fees, boosters, etc? Maybe that’s okay if the team was 9-3…but 3-9? Is it a coincidence that George opted to retire after this school year?
This past Sunday, Deion was in Cleveland watching Shedeur play for the NFL Browns. Despite the weather being miserable, Deion looked comfortable. Like he’d been there many times before. Because he had.
His philosophies and coaching methods are far better suited for the professional game. Have someone else in charge of bringing in players and if they don’t perform up to his expectations, have them go get new players. Same with coaches.
If you’re into football from strictly an entertainment perspective, how much fun would it be to have Deion and Shedeur reunited with the Cleveland Browns next season? The wins might not come in bunches, but the attention and the celebs sure would.
