How Deion Sanders, the multi-sport superstar turned buzziest coach in college football, makes and spends his millions

  • Deion Sanders enjoyed remarkably successful careers in the NFL and MLB at the same time.
  • “Prime Time” is now the buzziest name in college football as the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes.
  • The dual-sport athlete turned coach has earned millions; here’s how he makes and spends his money.

More 30 years after he dazzled the sports world as a football superstar with a not-so-insignificant side hustle at the highest levels of professional baseball, Deion “Prime Time” Sanders has returned to the spotlight as the buzziest name in college football. The Hall of Fame cornerback took over the helm of the Colorado Buffaloes ahead of the 2023 season, and he’s revitalized the struggling program like only “Coach Prime” could.

Each stage of Sanders’ sports career — as an NFL great, a part-time MLB outfielder, and an NCAA head coach—has been quite lucrative. He’s also brought in money through opportunities away from the gridiron and diamond.

Let’s take a look at how Sanders — the only man to compete in a Super Bowl and a World Series—makes and spends his millions.

Deion Sanders is one of the most impressive athletes in modern-day sports.

Deion Sanders with MLB baseball's Atlanta Braves (left) and the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.
Deion Sanders with MLB baseball’s Atlanta Braves (left) and the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. 
AP Photo/Joe Holloway Jr.; Reuters Photographer

Sanders is one of very few American athletes who have excelled in more than one professional sport, and he managed the remarkable feat relatively recently.

The Fort Myers, Florida, native spent 1985 to 1988 as a three-sport college athlete for the Florida State Seminoles. From his very first year on campus, Sanders started on defense with the football team, played in the outfield with the baseball team, and was a sprinter on the track and field team.

Though he’d been drafted by Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals in 1985 — his first year at Florida State — Sanders waited until the New York Yankees selected him in the 1988 Draft to sign with a team. The following year, the two-time All-America selection for football joined the Atlanta Falcons with the fifth overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Sanders spent the early 1990s playing baseball part-time for various MLB teams — most notably the Atlanta Braves.

Deion Sanders with the Atlanta Braves.
Deion Sanders with the Atlanta Braves. 
AP Photo

After spending part of a season in the minor leagues, Sanders made his Major League Baseball debut with the New York Yankees in May 1989. Though he held his own in limited appearances that first year, Sanders struggled offensively in his sophomore season, leading the Yankees to waive the outfielder.

He signed a deal with the Atlanta Braves in 1991, and in his four years with the franchise, Sanders accrued a formidable .265 batting average and was a steady presence in the outfield. He even helped lead the Braves to the...