Deion Sanders is in the midst of his third season as the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes. In 2023, the Buffs struggled, winning only four games in Coach Prime’s inaugural season. However, the team took a big jump forward last year, winning nine games and qualifying for a bowl game.
This season, the Buffaloes were expected to take a step back following the departure of their two best players, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, both of whom entered the NFL. While regression was expected, the season has gone far worse than anyone expected. They are 3-6 heading into Saturday’s game against West Virginia, and have lost some games against weaker opponents on paper.
As a result, the possibility of Colorado firing Deion Sanders has started to be discussed among analysts and fans. However, a big obstacle to that will be the contract extension Coach Prime signed in the offseason.
After the Buffaloes’ 9-4 season last year, they signed Sanders to a contract extension that runs through the 2029 season. The contract is worth $54 million, placing his buyout at $33.6 million. That is a hefty sum for any team to play, let alone a smaller program like Colorado. As a result, Colorado management might prefer to keep Sanders on board.
A big red flag in Sanders’ coaching record is his ability to win games without his son, QB Shedeur Sanders. He is 3-6 this season, and the only other season he did not have Shedeur was in the 2020 season with Jackson State. He went 40-3 in the shortened season that year, giving him a 7-9 record without him. With Sheduer, he is 36-15.
Possible Deion Sanders Replacements for Colorado
If the Colorado Buffaloes decide to part ways with Deion Sanders, it likely will not happen until the offseason. Even if they fire him during the season, they will likely have an interim head coach until they can hire their preferred candidate in the offseason. There are a few interesting options on the market if Coach Prime is fired by Colorado.
Notably, two big-name coaches were fired in recent weeks, James Franklin and Brian Kelly. Both coaches have a strong record of success in the NCAA, but were fired by Penn State and LSU, respectively, this season. If either is willing to move to Colorado, the Buffaloes would likely consider their candidacy.
The Buffaloes could also try to poach a head coach from another team after the season. Texas A&M’s Mike Elko would be an interesting option after his success this season. However, if he leaves the Aggies, it seems more likely he would choose to join a larger program.
Fans could be waiting several weeks or even months before a decision is made, but even Deion Sanders has started to tweet cryptic things.
You will make it thru the storm, the valley, the scrutiny & the mess. You’re built for this & God is just allowing it because you’re gonna need to develop certain things about u where you’re headed. You have it & it has to be perfected, corrected & directed. #CoachPrime
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) November 7, 2025
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