Key Takeaways
- Deion Sanders allegedly offered vocal critics $50,000 each to stop mentioning him publicly for a year, according to his former personal videographer Christopher “Uncle Neely” Neely.
- Neely said nobody accepted the alleged offer but identified no recipients or supporting documentation. Sanders subsequently denied offering anyone money, saying the remark was a joke.
- The allegation lands as Colorado faces pressure after a 3-9 season in 2025, though Sanders remains under contract through 2029 on a five-year, $54 million extension.
Deion Sanders reportedly has a $50,000 solution for people who can't stop criticizing him: Take the money and keep his name out of their mouths for a year. Sanders, however, says it was a joke.
The allegation comes from Christopher Neely, better known as "Uncle Neely," who has worked as Sanders' personal videographer at Colorado. According to NBC Sports, Neely recently claimed that Coach Prime offered some of his most vocal critics a five-figure payday to stop discussing him publicly.
"For the most part, the people that attack him wouldn't be making the money they were making if he wasn't here to attack," Neely said.
He then described what he claimed Sanders proposed.
"Which is why he told some of them, 'Hey man, let's just do this. I give you $50,000 to not mention my name for a year.' And ain't nobody took the deal yet."
Neely claimed the supposed offers went nowhere because Sanders' critics were already making too much money by talking about him.
"And you love talking about this man so much, and you make so much talking of this man that you turned the deal down," he added.
Sanders addressed the allegation Tuesday, Oct. 27, saying the supposed offer was a joke. “I would never offer a man money,” he told reporters, per The Associated Press. Neely also didn't identify the individuals who allegedly received the offers or provide documentation establishing that any payments were proposed.
The claims come as Sanders faces increasing scrutiny over Colorado’s football program, which has struggled to regain the momentum he generated in his first two seasons in Boulder.
After a 4-8 debut in 2023, Sanders led the Buffaloes to a 9-4 record in 2024 behind quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Both subsequently departed for the NFL, and Colorado stumbled to 3-9 in 2025.
Sanders attempted another overhaul ahead of the 2026 season, bringing in 43 transfers following 36 departures. The program also hired Brennan Marion as offensive coordinator and promoted Chris Marve to defensive coordinator.
But the changes haven't quieted questions about Colorado's direction.
"It appears that Deion Sanders' run in Colorado has come to a complete and screeching halt," Barrie said during the Oct. 4 episode of The Matt Barrie Show.
Barrie went further, declaring that the Colorado experiment was "as good as done."
Finebaum agreed that Sanders’ future was uncertain.
"It is going to end either gracefully or spectacularly badly for Deion," he said.
Those comments followed an offseason in which even Sanders' oldest son acknowledged the pressure surrounding the program. During a June episode of Well Off Media, Deion Sanders Jr. reacted to Colorado's recruiting efforts by saying, "We gotta win. Or I'mma be out of a job."
Sanders, meanwhile, remains under contract with Colorado through 2029 after signing a five-year, $54 million extension.
