Deion Sanders Says $50,000 Offer to Critics Was a Joke as Colorado Struggles in Big 12

Deion Sanders says a report that he offered critics $50,000 to stay quiet about him was not serious. Asked about the claim on Tuesday, the Colorado coach answered: "That was a joke. Some people live on your name."

The comment comes at a difficult time for the Buffaloes, who are 2-5 overall and 0-3 in Big 12 play. They are on a five-game losing streak and sit at the bottom of the conference standings.

The claim originated with Uncle Neely, Sanders' videographer, who spoke on BuffBoys Live. According to Neely, Sanders told some critics he would pay them $50,000 to avoid mentioning his name for a year. "And ain't nobody took the deal yet," Neely said, adding that the critics profit too much from talking about the coach to accept.

Neely also argued that many of the people who attack Sanders would not be earning what they do without him as a target. Sanders has long been one of college football's most talked-about figures, drawing praise and criticism in equal measure. He embraced the role of the sport's most polarizing personality and often challenged his detractors directly.

The mood around the program has shifted considerably since Sanders' first two seasons in Boulder, when excitement was high. Over the past two seasons, Colorado has gone 1-11 in Big 12 games, and much of that enthusiasm has given way to frustration or apathy among fans.

Sanders has spent two years insisting the team is close and doing the right things, but the results have not followed on Saturdays. After the loss to Oklahoma State, he said the program is disciplined in academics, punctuality, dress and manners, but falters in key moments. "I really don't understand it, because we are disciplined in every area of this program," he said. "But [when] we get on the field at the most critical moments, we blow it."

The more often Sanders repeats that message, the harder it is for fans to accept it. There is no obvious route out of the bottom of the Big 12, and Colorado must hope Sanders can be the one to lead the team out.

Financial realities also limit the program's options. If Sanders were fired after the 2026 season, Colorado would owe him $25.5 million in buyout money.

The contrast with a few years ago is stark. Then, the buzz around Sanders was so intense that, by Neely's account, his loudest critics supposedly passed on $50,000 to stop talking about him for a year.