Deion Sanders Surprises Colorado Football Players With Unique NIL Opportunity

Sanders partnered with Elevation Credit Union and 5430 Alliance, a Colorado Buffaloes NIL collective, to make this unique opportunity happen.

Jul 10, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports / Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

Deion Sanders, along with the Colorado Buffaloes NIL collective called 5430 Alliance, has partnered with a bank, the Elevation Credit Union, to open up bank accounts for the children of eight players on the school's football team.

Sanders, in a video that has made the rounds on social media, called each of the Colorado players forward to sit in front of the team, then, along with a representative from the NIL collective, surprised them with the announcement.

"Want y'all to know, ain't like you're in trouble," Sanders said. "You ain't done nothing wrong. Matter of fact, you did something right. And a child is not a mistake. A child is an opportunity to mature you, grow you, advance you, and give you some skills. Y’all know how I am about fathering."

"You know I would not hire a coach unless he’s a great father. I don’t hire a coach that’s a deadbeat, I don’t hire a coach that’s not taking care of his responsibilities. I would never hire a man that he says he’s going to look after y’all but he won’t look after his. That don’t make sense to me."

Deion Sanders is partnering with Elevations Credit Union to help CU football players open bank accounts for their kids—starting out with $2,121 in each one.pic.twitter.com/0CtA1UPWuK

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) August 26, 2024

Sanders on August 22 posted a message onto his account on X, formerly known as Twitter, seeking a bank to partner with.

"I’m looking for a Bank in Boulder or Denver that’s wants to have a business relationship with a few members of our team," Sanders wrote. "It’s gonna bless whichever Bank that partners with us. Let’s Go."

Elevation Credit Union responded to the message, and the result is a partnership with the collective that will open up savings accounts for the eight children. Each account, a 529 savings plan, will have $2,121, in honor of Sanders's No. 21 from his playing days, in it as a start.

It's great to see Sanders, who has made headlines recently for his combative approach to dealing with the media, create such a heartwarming moment. And the Colorado coach seemed to indicate that this is only the beginning.

"We gonna go beyond this, okay," Sanders said.

It's not the first time Sanders has looked after his program financially, as he reportedly donated half his salary to help Jackson State complete its renovations of the football facility when he was the Tigers' head coach back in 2022. Sanders has also implored Buffaloes players to be the best they can be in the classroom, as well as on the field.

The Buffaloes will open the 2024 season at home against North Dakota State on Thursday.