Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp made more than $58 million during his 13-year NFL career but will earn only $150,000 annually in his new entry-level coaching job at Colorado under head coach Deion Sanders, according to employment documents obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
The pay might seem like a comedown for him − $12,500 per month, plus $15,000 in moving expenses. But he wants to work for Sanders, a fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer, and he is starting at the ground floor as a college coach in part because he has little prior coaching experience.
By contrast, as head coach, Sanders is set to make $5.7 million this year.
Sapp’s pay still is believed to be on the high end for a graduate assistant coach. It wasn’t until last year that the NCAA lifted the cap on what such coaches could earn after facing a bevy of accusations that similar pay limits violated antitrust laws.
Before the rule change, the NCAA limited compensation for graduate assistant coaches.
The old rule stated, “The individual may not receive compensation or remuneration in excess of the value of a full grant-in-aid for a full-time student, based on the resident status of that individual, and the receipt of four complimentary tickets to all the institution’s intercollegiate athletics events.”
The recent rule change is also why there has been some confusion about his job title. His appointment letter says, “Football Quality Control Senior Analyst.” He’s classified internally that way because the university doesn’t have an internal job code yet to keep up with the rule change and pay him as a graduate assistant, according to the university.
Officially, Sapp, 51, is a graduate assistant coach. That means he is required to be enrolled in graduate-level coursework at the school, as the university said he is. He also is not allowed to have off-campus contact with recruits, according to NCAA rules for the position.
The university noted in a statement Monday Sapp passed a background check and had a meeting with Colorado athletic director Rick George to “clearly articulate the department’s standards and expectations, to which he acknowledged and agreed.”
The prospect of his hiring previously raised concerns among domestic violence survivor groups.
Colorado is undergoing spring football practices that will conclude with the annual spring game April 27. Sanders finished 4-8 in his first season at Colorado last year, when Sapp visited as a friend and raised the prospect of him joining the football staff.
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com
