With Deion Sanders and the Colorado Football Team Work on the Recruiting Traila very broad topic within the broader scope of college football, concerns name, image and likeness (NIL). Although there were a few major wins on the recruiting trail for Sanders and the Colorado football teamhe would speak on Wednesday about the issue with NIL and the transfer portal.
Sanders would be in attendance at Big 12 media days with other conference head coaches and asked about his thoughts on NIL and how it should be regulated. The former NFL great would say there should be a “cap” with NIL and the amount of money given to players, mainly from the perspective of some teams not being able to match bigger programs.
“I wish it was a cap, you know, like the high-end player does, and if you’re not that type of guy, you know, you’re not going to make it,” Sanders said. “That’s what the NFL does. The problem is you have a guy who’s not very good, but he could go to another school, and that would give him half a million dollars. You can’t compete with that. It doesn’t make sense. And you’re talking about equality, and all you have to do is look at the playoffs and see what these teams spent.”
“All you have to do is look at the (CFP) and see what these teams spent, and you’ll understand very well why they’re in the playoffs.”
Deion Sanders on NIL and the current state of college football. pic.twitter.com/y6A5C3dWUP
–ESPN (@espn) July 9, 2025
Colorado Football’s Deion Sanders on NIL
Despite the criticism surrounding the subject, the The Colorado Football Team and Sanders used the transfer portal and NIL, but only because they need to get the players they want. That doesn’t take away from the fact that Sanders has numerous issues with the system, saying it’s “hard to compete” with teams that can pay immense amounts of money for top players.
“And you understand why they made the playoffs, it’s pretty hard to compete with someone who gave $25, $30 million to a heck of a freshman class. It’s crazy,” Sanders said. “We’re not complaining, because all these coaches here could train their hearts out and if given the right opportunity with the right players and play here and there, you’ll be there, but that’s what’s happening right now, it doesn’t make sense. And we want to say things, but we try to be professional, but you’re going to see the same teams in the end, and with someone sneaking in there, but if the team that pays them the most, who pays the more, will be in.”
The Buffaloes open next season against Georgia Tech on August 29.
