Deion Sanders calls for changes to college football’s pay structure originally appeared on The Sporting News
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has never been behind the times, and his latest proposal takes aim at the way college football players are compensated.
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During a recent Associated Press interview alongside Nick Saban, Sanders floated a plan that would mirror the NFL postseason model. Players would be paid for reaching the College Football Playoff, and the payout increases as their teams advance.
“Now it’s equality, now it’s even, and every player is making the same amount of money,” Sanders said.
In his eyes, this framework would bring structure to what has become an unregulated marketplace in the NIL era. A handful of stars earn big endorsement dollars while most teammates see little. He dismissed the current system as a “joke,” arguing that a postseason incentive system would not only reward players fairly but also provide a more transparent approach.
The concept isn’t far-fetched. In the NFL, postseason bonuses are standardized. Every player regardless of role or marketability earns the same bonus for winning playoff games. Last season, Super Bowl winners received $171,000 each, whether they were star quarterbacks or backup linemen.
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Sanders sees that blueprint as a natural fit for college football, especially as the Playoff expands and generates unprecedented revenue for conferences and schools.
Not everyone agrees. Saban, long a skeptic of NIL and direct player payments, countered that college athletes should focus on “creating value for their future,” rather than short-term financial bumps. But Sanders’ stance reflects a growing need for regulations. It also acknowledges that players create massive value for their programs and should be compensated accordingly.
The coaches move freely for better contracts, schools reap enormous television revenues, yet athletes often face the greatest restrictions. Sanders’ proposal offers a middle ground by tying pay directly to performance and postseason success.
As the sport barrels toward an era of super leagues and billion-dollar media deals, Sanders’ call for playoff payouts could be a glimpse at the next frontier.
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