Here’s Deion Sanders’ Pitch For How College Football Players Could Make More Money

NIL (Name Image Likeness) has changed the landscape of NCAA college football. Deion Sanders recently suggested an idea for collegiate athletes on the gridiron to make even more money.

The Colorado Buffaloes head coach believes that players on teams that make the College Football Playoff should earn a bonus. Even further, teams that win games in the tournament should get even more money for doing so. He revealed this idea alongside the legendary former Alabama head coach Nick Saban during an interview with The Associated Press; Saban expressed his approval of the idea, as it mimics NFL playoff bonuses.

Currently, conferences whose schools make the CFP are given $4 million, and they get more money as their respective schools advance in the tourney. Saban and Sanders both believe that the NIL component of college football still needs more structure.

Since this past July, schools were permitted to pay up to $20.5 million each to their athletes over the next year, thanks to the new $2.8 billion antitrust settlement. NIL has already turned certain players into millionaires, and this will only add to that with the introduction of licensing deals. Coach Prime called the current NIL deals a joke as “there are only three or four guys who you might know their NIL, and the rest you’re just giving money to.”

Saban added, “For years and years and years as coaches, and when we were players, we learned this, we’re trying to create value for our future. That’s why we’re going to college. It’s not just to see how much money we can make while we’re in college. It’s, how does that impact your future as far as our ability to create value for ourselves?”

He also adamantly disapproved of conferences being guaranteed playoff spots, citing how the NFL’s NFC East division boasts multiple popular teams, but they still have to earn their way into the postseason.