‘Don’t make sense’ – Deion Sanders doesn’t bite tongue on pay discrepancy at Colorado versus other schools

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Big 12 media days got off to a roaring start by none other than the head football coach of Colorado.Deion Sanders, never one to hold back what’s on his mind, delivered a mini-rant of sorts to suggest a salary cap-like ceiling for college.Sanders is in his third season as Colorado’s head coachGetty“I wish there was a cap,” Sanders said during a Big 12 coaches’ roundtable.“Like, the top-of-the-line player makes this, and if you’re not that type of guy, you know you’re not going to make that. That’s what the NFL does.“So the problem is, you got a guy that’s not that darn good, but he could go to another school and they give him a half million dollars. You can’t compete with that. And it don’t make sense.”Sanders then pointed toward the College Football Playoff and rightfully stated that the teams that spend the most on their rosters are usually the ones that are left standing at the end of the season.“All you have to do is look at the playoffs and see what those teams spent,” Sanders continued.“You understand darn near why they’re in the playoffs. It’s kind of hard to compete with somebody who’s giving $25-30million to a freshman class. It’s crazy.“We’re not complaining, because all these coaches up here can coach their butts off, and given the right opportunity with the right players and a play here or there, you’ll be there, but what’s going on right now don’t make sense.“We want to say stuff, but we’re trying to be professional, but you’re going to see the same teams darn near at the end, and someone who sneaks in there, but the teams that pay the most will be there at the end.”Sanders was not so subtly calling out the Georgias, Alabamas, and Ohio States of the world. And it’s no secret, especially now in the legal era of NIL, that the programs willing to spend the most will attract the top talent and field the better rosters.It’s clear Colorado doesn’t have the budget or necessary resources that the big programs at the top of the sport do.Sanders proposed a salary cap at the college levelGettySanders has had previous health issues as Colorado coachGettyWhat Colorado is spending on its players is nowhere near the same as an Oregon or a Texas.That’s just the hard reality of this new age of college athletics.Another big topic that was brought up to Sanders at media day, that he quickly shut down, was his health status.Sanders has been away from the program since April after a series of health scares that forced him to recover back at his home in Canton, Texas.The 57-year-old has a long history of blood clots, which led to the amputation of two of his toes, but wouldn’t go into any detail about how he was currently feeling.“I’m not here to talk about my health,” Sanders said. “I’m here to talk about my team.” Sanders then went on to deliver what felt like a sermon.“I’m looking good. I’m living lovely. God has truly blessed me,” he said. “Not a care in the world. Not a want or desire in the world.” Sanders then revealed that Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormack would call him daily just to check in on the third-year head coach, along with a few other coaches in the conference.“I love them, they’ve been calling and checking on me, making sure I’m straight,” Sanders said.Sanders is entering his third season at the helm of Colorado, still seeking a playoff appearance.They improved from 4-8 in 2023 to 9-4 last season, behind his son Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.Sanders will have his hands full this season trying to replace both players, as they were both drafted to the NFL this past spring.And if anyone is paying attention to what he has had to say at media day, it’s clear he wants a bigger budget to compete.