Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has never been one to shy away from bold opinions or bold recruiting tactics. But as name, image, and likeness deals continue to reshape the college football landscape, "Coach Prime" is calling for a change — and a cap.
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Speaking at Big 12 media day, Sanders voiced concern over the growing financial imbalance in college football, suggesting that the sport desperately needs a salary cap to keep rosters from being gutted by richer programs.
"I wish there was a cap," Sanders said. "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."
Sanders pointed to a growing trend where schools with deeper pockets are luring away players with lucrative NIL deals, regardless of talent level.
"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 and you can't compete with that. And it don't make sense," he said.
Since taking over at Colorado, Sanders has embraced the transfer portal and helped players cash in on their marketability. But even he admits the system has tilted too far in favor of the highest bidders, many of them residing in the SEC and Big Ten.
"All you have to do is look at the playoffs and what those teams spend, and you understand darn near why they're in the playoffs," Sanders said. "It's kind of hard to compete with somebody who's giving $25 to $30 million to a freshman class. It's crazy."
As it stands, NIL money is not regulated by the NCAA in the same way professional sports leagues monitor contracts. That has turned college football into a bidding war, with blue-blood programs regularly outspending smaller conferences and mid-tier Power Five schools.
"The team that pays the most is going to win," Sanders concluded.
