Colorado Buffaloes star quarterback Shedeur Sanders on Wednesday became the first NCAA football player to sign a NIL (name, image and likeness) contract with Nike. The shoe and apparel deal for the projected first-round draft pick comes on the eve of Sanders’ final college football season and firmly establishes him in what he calls the “family business.”
Saunders looks to build on his solid 2023 season, in which he rushed for a school-record 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns while recording just three interceptions in 11 games. He is considered a top prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Nike
Coinciding with the news, sneaker fans were in for a surprise when Nike released the Air DT Max 96, a signature shoe originally made for Sanders’ father and current coach, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. The shoes feature the colors of the Colorado Buffaloes, with Vegas gold overlays accenting the predominantly white uppers. The shoe is one of several signature sneakers the elder Sanders received during his early tenure at Nike in the ’90s.
Sanders recently spoke on his podcast about his vision of passing on what his father created with the Air DT Max for future generations. “I want to build on that. Have a different version,” he said. “It’s more about what can be passed down year after year.”
On Thursday, Sanders will lead Colorado in the Buffaloes’ season opener against North Dakota State.
