"He's the perfect type of coach for NIL & transfer portal": Rich Eisen shares his reaction to Deion Sanders' $54 million extension

Deion Sanders joined the list of $10 million-a-year coaches after Colorado, led by Rick George, offered him a five-year contract last week. This will keep him at Boulder through the 2029 season, something that Rich Eisen believes is a well-deserved raise for Coach Prime's efforts.

It was quite a ride for the Pro Football Hall of Famer, who made a major pact at Jackson State and took the progress all the way to Boulder and transformed the program into a Big 12 powerhouse.

While speaking on his podcast on Friday, Eisen reacted to the news of Sanders signing a $54 million contract extension. The veteran analyst recalled some funny interactions he had with the coach where he mentioned that money is one factor defining an individual's self-esteem and progress.

"Money is a measure of respect for a guy who everybody thought of when it first started. It was just a lark," Eisen said. (0:55)

“He is not only good at his job, he is the perfect type of coach for the moment of the NIL, the transfer portal, so you can get better quickly. But in the NIL world, where you know it is about the money. ... Kids like Jimmy Horn Jr., whose dad is incarcerated, and Deion go to the prison with Jimmy Horn Jr. to visit his dad and walk him out on a senior day because his dad's not there."

Eisen added:

"He's a surrogate father, which is very important to Deion, who, once upon a time, famously told me the first time because of his relationship with his dad and his situation with his father, first time he ever saw a grown man shave was in college."

Deion Sanders will have a new quarterback at helm

It will be a new beginning for Coach Prime, where he will not have Shedeur Sanders by his side. Looking at the current roster of Colorado, it's a battle between freshman QB Julian Lewis and the Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter for the starting role.

The final decision will be made by the end of the off-season, where both passers will get equal opportunity to showcase their skill sets and learnings.

At the moment, it would be Salter who could most likely land the job since it will be his final year of NCAA eligibility, and his performance will aid Lewis in learning more about the pace and intensity of college football.