Sean Keeler: Deion Sanders 'loves' CU Buffs, Boulder? Then sign your extension, Coach Prime.

DENVER Sorry.

Dont buy it.

Deion Sanders and Jerry Jones are more effective business partners apart than they could ever be under one roof.

When Coach Prime needs leverage, he talks to Jerry.

When Jerry needs clicks, he calls Deion.

Why ruin the perfect relationship by moving in together? To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and its intriguing, Sanders, the CU Buffs popular second-year football coach, told ESPNs Adam Schefter on Monday night.

I love Jerry and believe in Jerry.

After you hang up, and process it, and think about it, its intriguing.

But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body and the community.

So why havent you signed the deal? Like any good negotiation, this ones going to be played out via surrogates in the national media until somebody blinks.

CU has FOX Sports Joel Klatt, a Buff-for-life who says an extension offers been on the table.

Coach Prime has Stephen A.

Smith.

Buffs AD Rick George doesnt need a mediator so much as a moderator.

Ive heard the Curt Cignetti argument.

If Indianas football coach, after cribbing the Prime Method, is worth $8 million annually through 2032 to the Hoosiers, shouldnt Sanders be worth at least as much for hoisting the Buffs back onto the college football map? Absolutely.

But that benchmark runs into two problems.

One, IU made the CFP Playoffs, which history says it might never do again for the next 10-12 years.

Two, when the Hoosiers open the safe, theyve got Big Ten money for Scrooge McDuck to swim around in, with an estimated annual average media payout estimated at $72 million, with at least another $21 million via the College Football Playoff.

CUs estimated television revenue take for 24-25 was projected at $22 million, with at least another $12 million via the CFP.

George already joked that he spent money he didnt have to land Prime for five years and $29.5 million in the first place.

How far out are the Buffs willing to max out the credit card? Its not that CU hasnt tried.

Sanders took home an additional $150,000 this season for hitting the six-victory threshold, another $100,000 each for wins seven, eight and nine and $150,000 for the Alamo Bowl invite $600,000 for on-field success.

Last winter, George gave Coach Prime a $250,000 employee recognition bonus following a 4-8 season in 2023.

That gift, which wasnt even a part of Sanders contract, was justified for drawing TV eyeballs, putting butts in seats, pulling in media coverage and selling merch.

And that TV-eyeballs thing is important.

If a college football Super League or Premier League is in the works by 2034 or 35, itll be a made-for-broadcast circuit, crafted and designed to maximize ratings and revenue.

The only way a 48-team or 50-team Premier League is taking CU is if either Sanders is still coaching the team or the Buffs remain nationally relevant as a result of the Coach Prime makeover.

Theyve got to spend the better part of the next decade either in, or around, the CFP bracket.

Given the general meh of the Big 12 and the Buffs current trajectory, that last one isnt hard to picture.

CUs finally found its football sweet spot, the best of both worlds: A conference that guarantees the winner a seat at the CFP table, and a fight card that doesnt have a single old-money blue blood swinging a bigger stick.

To put it another way, the Big 12 asks you to be better than Arizona State, Iowa State, BYU, Kansas State, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Utah.

The AFC West asks you to be better than Andy Reid, Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton, Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Bo Nix.

The NFC East asks you to be better than Jalen Hurts and Jayden Daniels.

Oh, I dont doubt that Jerry is staring at his wits end.

Americas had just about enough of Americas Team.

Jones was loudly booed in his own building during the Texas-Ohio State Cotton Bowl matchup last week.

Houston Texans fans invaded Jerry World for the Governors Cup showdown in late November, which is a little like Rockies fans taking over Dodgers Stadium.

Thanksgiving Day prices for nosebleed seats on the secondary market, which usually hover in the $200-$400 range, went for $50-$80 in 2024.

Coach Primes buyout dropped on Jan.

1 from $10 million to $8 million at any point through New Years Eve 2025.

It slips to $5 million on New Years Day 2026.

For Jones, thats tip money.

The internet has already worked out trades that would ship Dak Prescott to the Titans for the No.

1 pick, which would then presumably be used by Dallas to take Shedeur Sanders, and away we go.

Only in real life, its not that simple and I can give you 104 million reasons why.

Per Spotrac, $104 million is Daks dead cap hit for the Cowboys if you trade him, or basically twice what the Broncos just weathered this past season after the Russell Wilson divorce.

And thats assuming you can make a deal in the first place, because Prescott also reportedly has a no-trade clause in his deal, too.

No.

4 holds all the cards, and Jones is becoming a desperate man.

But Prime shouldnt be.

You know what? The only way I would consider (the NFL) is to coach my sons, Sanders told Good Morning America recently.

Not son, sons.

I love CU.

I love my Buffaloes, I love everything were doing and were building and I love Boulder, Colo.

So why havent you signed it? The Big 12 is begging for an overlord.

If Coach Prime loves BoCo that much, hell put a ring on it.

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