Deion Sanders prefers to remain selective about licensing his name. He has let opportunities slip away in the past. That trend has continued this year, as Coach Prime joins six other prominent college head coaches who stayed away from EA Sports College Football 27. This marks the third straight year, spanning College Football 25, 26, and 27, that Coach Prime has refused to license his name and face to the franchise. Known for tightly controlling his brand, Sanders has consistently bypassed EA’s group licensing agreements.

EA Sports College Football 27 was originally scheduled for release in the second week of July, but it was made available to MVP+ members last week. And when fans opened the Colorado dynasty save, they found the main figure of Colorado missing. The reason is easy to see. The Colorado head coach declined to license his likeness for the EA Sports College Football 2027 video game, as reported by Buffaloes Wire.

It didn’t surprise many, given his absence in the past two years. But it’s definitely a disappointment for the Buffs fans who were eagerly waiting for his appearance. UNC fans felt the same way. Bill Belichick also declined to have his name used for this year’s video game.

Long before joining the North Carolina Tar Heels in the college ranks, Belichick was infamous among Madden NFL gamers for being completely absent from the sidelines. For over two decades, he was replaced by a generic-looking avatar named “NE Coach” or “Chad Masters.” Belichick stepped away from the NFL Coaches Association (NFLCA) in the early 2000s.

Because EA Sports purchases its coaching likeness rights directly through the NFLCA group license, Belichick was automatically excluded. He maintained this hardline stance upon entering college football, opting out of College Football 26 and 27.

This trend also included big names such as Miami’s Mario Cristobal, North Texas’s Neal Brown, Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, along with smaller programs like Utah State’s Bronco Mendenhall, and Southern Mississippi’s Blake Anderson.

Meanwhile, Indiana’s Curt Cignetti was featured on the Deluxe Edition cover. Coaches like Oregon’s Dan Lanning, OSU’s Ryan Day, and more returned to license their likeness for the EA Sports College Football 27 video game.

This is not new. Last season, 12 head coaches refused to participate in the EA Sports video game. Among them were the Colorado head coach, along with Belichick, Stanford’s Frank Reich, UAB’s Trent Dilfer, Cristobal, and so on. In contrast, Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, and Texas’s Steve Sarkisian, among others, allowed their likeness to be used in the 2026 version of EA Sports.

To prevent gamers from simply recreating Deion Sanders or opted-out players, EA Sports heavily locks down customization. In College Football 27, gamers are strictly blocked from manually editing or creating real-life players and coaches who opted out of the game. Colorado is led by a fictional coach on the virtual sidelines, completely detached from the “Coach Prime” persona.

Interestingly, you can find a computer-generated Deion Sanders avatar as “Bump and Run” when you choose CB. In this version, the Colorado head coach is shown wearing a golden helmet and FSU football attire. It’s a relief for many Colorado fans. However, not everyone is happy with how they have been represented by the game.

Colorado LB Gideon Lampron’s digital version doesn’t give off the vibe of a power-4 player preparing to pave a path to the NFL. Even Lampron echoed the sentiment on X, writing, “Jail 🤣,” and resharing a post from the Folsom Frenzy Podcast. “@EASPORTSCollege did my man dirty,” read the post.

Deion Sanders’ unanswered areas for 2026

Following a 3-9 season, Deion Sanders brought stability to Boulder with the hiring of OC Brennan Marion. But the head coach also focused on improving the Buffs’ defense. That’s why Colorado hired a new DC, Chris Marve. On top of that, Coach Prime brought in notable portal pieces.

But there are still questions regarding Colorado’s chances this upcoming season. The first concern is the signal-caller. Last season, the Buffs never got stability at the position. Deion Sanders tried three QBs. Of which, only Julian Lewis remains in the program, who showed potential in the loss to West Virginia last year. He is set to be the QB1 next season.

There are also concerns on the defensive side of the ball. The run defense has been a recurring issue for Deion Sanders. Even during his 9-4 campaign in 2024, Colorado failed to stop the run. It was worse last year. Coach Prime focused on getting heavy, physical players via the portal. There is talent on the roster, but is it enough to challenge the likes of BYU, Texas Tech, Arizona State, and Cincinnati in the conference?