24-04-2025
Shedeur Sanders' astonishing earnings, $400K Rolls Royce, retirement decision
Shedeur Sanders was
once the highest-earning college football player
, and he is now stepping into the
NFL
Draft as a highly-promising quarterback prospect.
The 23-year-old has had a stellar career with the Jackson State Tigers and Colorado Buffaloes, recording 14,327 passing yards and 134 touchdowns from the backfield. Notably, Sanders's rushing performance was also impressive, especially in his final year, where he scored 17 touchdowns from just 29 rushing yards throughout his career.
With a trophy cabinet boasting the Jerry Rice award, the Deacon Jones Trophy, and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award, Sanders is poised for a
bright future in the NFL
.
There's been much speculation about whether the projected top-five QB would follow in the footsteps of his father, former
NFL
star Deion Sanders.
Deion, a two-time Super Bowl champion, has played for teams including the Atlanta Falcons, the
San Francisco
49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Baltimore Ravens.
Interestingly, Deion also served as Shedeur's head coach at the Buffaloes and trained Shedeur and his safety-playing brother Shilo at collegiate level. Given the family's deep roots in the NFL, it's no surprise that the young quarterback has earned accolades and financial rewards from his time in the sport.
Here's a look at some of the major stories surrounding Shedeur Sanders, including his jaw-dropping college football earnings, controversy over his retirement choice, and how the quarterback spends his money when he's off the field.
Shedeur Sanders' impressive college earnings
Shedeur Sanders has made millions from his college football career
(Image: RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
Clocking up four college football seasons has netted Sanders a hefty sum through NIL deals and brand endorsements. TalkSPORT reported that he was the first to ink a NIL deal with Nike, allowing him to earn money whenever the brand uses his name, image, and likeness.
Sanders didn't just stop with Nike; he's also secured deals with luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz, sporting goods giants Under Armour, tech behemoth Google, music moguls Beats by Dre, and hydration heavyweight Gatorade, amassing an fortune of $6.1million.
During his college career, Sanders outearned peers, including teammate Travis Hunter and NFL hopeful Cam Ward. However,
Texas
Longhorns' Arch Manning, nephew to NFL legends Peyton and Eli, now claims the title of wealthiest student-athlete at $6.5m.
But Sanders is poised to pocket even more when he joins the pro league in 2025. However, with such financial success comes certain drawbacks.
Sanders likes to show off his earnings
(Image: @shedeursanders/Instagram)
Sanders revealed the downsides of affluence on former NFL star Robert Griffin III's podcast, Outta Pocket, as he said: "I definitely love NIL, but there's pros and cons to it though. You got to don't feel like you made it already.
"When you able to get whatever you want any time in life, then there's like a lot of things don't really interest you no more.
"So you got to really get down to the core, what makes you happy? Which is the making the music, the chilling, the having luxury things and doing that type of stuff what makes you happy and of course being with the family."
He added: "Tax is not good."
Shedeur's $400,000 Rolls-Royce and $100K gift to brother
Sanders has spent some serious money on a few flashy supercars, including dropping $400,000 on a Rolls-Royce, which caused him some drama back in college.
In a report from Marca in September last year, a video showed Sanders' Rolls-Royce clamped with a parking boot while at college, a likely sign that he parked it where campus authorities weren't happy with.
That wasn't the only show of his deep pockets, though. The quarterback also snapped up a Tesla Cyberbeast truck that he gave to his brother Shilo. This prized possession, worth around $100,000, was displayed on Shilo's Instagram in a custom black-and-gold wrap, clearly a nod to their Colorado roots.
It's not just his sibling who benefits from Shedeur's taste for the finer things; his social media pages are littered with pricey vehicles, including Lamborghinis, the renowned Rolls-Royce, and his very own blacked-out Tesla truck.
Despite critics sending hate at Sanders beneath his posts for his luxurious lifestyle, the quarterback obviously feels happy showing off his iced-out chains and Mercedes-Benz as he gears up for the NFL.
Colorado Buffaloes' jersey retirement decision sparks backlash
The news of Sanders' jersey number retirement has sparked heated debate, with many questioning the decision to honor him and teammate Travis Hunter so soon after they departed from the team. Typically, such an honor is reserved for legendary athletes who have significantly contributed to their sport over a prolonged period.
However, Shedeur's father and former head coach, Deion Sanders defended the decision, arguing that exceptional college football players shouldn't have to wait years for recognition.
The Buffaloes duo were honored with a retirement ceremony
(Image:for ONIT)
Sanders Sr., also known as Coach Prime, made a poignant reference to the late Colorado coach Bill McCartney, who was diagnosed with late-onset dementia and passed away in January. The team waited 10 years before announcing plans to build a statue in McCartney's honor, and Deion made a point of how important timely recognition was.
He said: "Why we wait? I give you your flowers now, I'm not going to wait 20 years down the street, then bring you back when you're limping, you can barely walk or some tragedy happens, to recognize your greatness and what you contributed to this program."
Sanders Sr. 's comments highlight the debate surrounding the timing of honoring athletes' achievements and the importance of recognizing their contributions while they are still active.
The coach continued: "I'm trying not to get in trouble with what I'm about to say, but why we wait, man? Why we wait? Wouldn't we have wanted [McCartney] to see, to be involved in it? To feel it? To feel the love, the respect the appreciation. Why we wait? ... He can't enjoy that right now.
Sanders and Hunter's jersey numbers have now been retired
(Image:for ONIT)
"The same thing with Rashaan Salaam, right? How long did we wait? ... How many years after his death? So we gotta die to get recognized?"
He added: "We're a now generation. You guys are now people, this is a now time, and those guys deserve what they deserve right now, so I'm proud of them."
