BOULDER, Colo. — Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is following in the cleats of his father, signing a name, image and likeness deal with Nike that includes footwear and apparel.
The terms of the deal announced Wednesday were not released.
Nike's football branch posted on Instagram a picture showing Sanders after a game holding up a watch on his left wrist. The caption over the image of him in his No. 2 Buffaloes jersey reads, “You know what Time it is." There was a Nike swoosh just below. In the comments, the company wrote: “Now it's a family business.”
Deion Sanders famously wore Nikes during his Hall of Fame pro football career and while he played baseball. He switched to Under Armour a few years ago before returning to Nike last year. Colorado is a Nike school.
The deal was announced on the eve of Colorado's season opener against FCS powerhouse North Dakota State.
Shedeur Sanders is coming off a seaon in which he threw for a school-record 3,230 yards and had a program-best completion percentage (69.3%). But it took a toll on him — he was sacked 52 times and missed the season finale with a fracture in his back. The constant pressure led the Buffaloes to overhaul their offensive line in the offseason.
His pocket presence, though, earned the praise of new North Dakota State coach Tim Polasek.
“He’s the best player that NDSU has played yet,” Polasek said. "It’s exciting. Our fans should be excited and should appreciate they get to see ... a first-round draft pick at quarterback get to play against the Bison.”
Several early NFL mock drafts have Sanders going within the first 10 picks. Same with his teammate, cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter.