Deion Sanders Addresses $50,000 Claim as Colorado Faces Fifth Straight Loss

Deion Sanders faces mounting pressure as Colorado suffers five straight defeats.© Image via Getty

Deion Sanders has denied offering $50,000 to critics to stop them from mentioning his name for a year, calling the claim a joke. The Colorado Buffaloes coach addressed the comments on Tuesday after Christopher Neely, a YouTube creator known as Uncle Neely, said Sanders had made the offer to people who criticise him. Sanders said his words had been misunderstood and insisted he was not serious about paying anyone. His response comes as Colorado faces growing pressure after five straight defeats. The Buffaloes are 2-5 this season, and their latest heavy loss to Oklahoma State has added to calls from fans for Sanders to leave the program.

Deion Sanders says $50,000 offer to critics was a joke

Neely, who has been associated with Sanders since his time coaching Jackson State, made the claim during an online roundtable discussion. He suggested that some people benefit financially from criticising the Colorado coach.

‘For the most part, the people that attack him wouldn't be making the money they were making if he wasn't here to attack,' Neely said in the video. ‘Which is why he told some of them, “Hey man, let's just do this. I give you $50,000 to not mention my name for a year.” And ain't nobody took the deal yet.'

When asked about the claim during his weekly news conference, Sanders explained what he said he meant.

‘That was a joke,' Sanders said.

‘Oh no, no, no! I think you misinterpreted that. I said, like some of y'all in here sitting right now, “I would love to give you money and not mention my name, and I want to see how far that goes.” … That´s what we were saying. Some people live on your name.'

Sanders also said criticism was nothing new for him, having faced it throughout his playing and coaching career. He rejected the suggestion that he would pay someone to stop talking about him.

‘I would never offer a man money. I don't give a darn what you say about me,' Sanders said. ‘That was really a joke about someone prospering off of your name and your brand. It's not in my heart to not like anybody in this room. I may not like some things you may do or say, but I don´t know you enough to form that opinion.

‘This is normalcy because I'm just different. I'm unapologetic about things I say and how I live my life.'

Deion Sanders faces growing pressure after Colorado's fifth straight defeat

Sanders arrived in Boulder for the 2023 season and helped Colorado improve from a 4-8 record in 2022 to 9-4 in his first year. His son Shedeur Sanders played quarterback for the team during that season.

The results have since declined, with Colorado now struggling at 2-5. The latest setback came against Oklahoma State, where the Buffaloes suffered a heavy defeat on Saturday.

Fans have voiced their frustration on social media, with some urging the university to fire Sanders. One critic wrote: ‘Pack your bags, it's time you get out of Boulder Colorado. Thanks for trying! Calling you “Coach Prime” is an insult to real college coaches. Time for the Buffs to find somebody committed to the program and not desperately chase a brand.'

Another wrote: ‘About a year ago I said the Buffs should fire Deion Sanders and a lot of people freaked out. It's only gotten worse. Not only is CU a dumpster fire, they have become more embarrassing. The boosters need to find every penny possible & make up for Rick George's horrendous mistake.'