**Sanders** Calls for Salary Cap in College Football

**Colorado** coach wants to level the playing field amid NIL deals.

As name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals transform college sports, **Deion Sanders**, **Colorado’s** head coach, is advocating for financial regulations to prevent wealthier programs from poaching talent. He believes that unchecked spending undermines player development and fair competition.

Leveling the Playing Field

**Sanders** voiced his concerns at Big 12 media day, suggesting college football adopt a salary cap similar to professional leagues. He argues this would shield teams from losing talent to programs with deeper pockets. “I wish there was a cap,” he stated, emphasizing the need to balance player compensation and team sustainability.

His comments come as NIL deals have dramatically altered the landscape of college athletics. Some star players can now earn substantial incomes, potentially influencing their decisions to transfer schools.

Without constraints, **Sanders** fears that the wealthiest programs will consistently dominate college football. He elaborated, “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 and you can’t compete with that. And it don’t make sense.”

The Impact on Competition

**Sanders** pointed to the College Football Playoff as evidence of the disparity. He believes that teams with the most significant financial backing often have an unfair advantage. According to a recent report by *USA Today*, NIL collectives spent an estimated $688 million on college athletes in 2023 alone (USA Today 2023).

According to **Sanders**, “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. It’s kind of hard to compete with somebody who’s giving $25 to $30 million to a freshman class. It’s crazy,” he said.

The Bottom Line

Ultimately, **Sanders** believes that financial power dictates success in college football. “The team that pays the most is going to win,” he concluded, underscoring his call for a more equitable system.