Colorado‘s board of regents has approved a contract extension for defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, who had an integral role in the team’s improvement last season.

The new two-year deal makes Livingston the highest-paid assistant in team history, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Livingston will earn $1.5 million in 2025 and $1.7 million in 2026, according to sources, and the new agreement includes performance incentives. He received interest from other college and NFL teams after the 2024 season, where Colorado improved from four wins to nine under coach Deion Sanders.

“Coach Prime and I have worked extensively to build on the incredible momentum that has been created with our football program over the last two years,” athletic director Rick George said Friday. “Robert Livingston is a top caliber coach, and this new contract illustrates the investment Colorado Athletics is making to ensure our program remains among the nation’s best. I’m thrilled that Coach Livingston will continue to mentor our student-athletes for years to come.”

Livingston came to Colorado last year from the Cincinnati Bengals, where he coached defensive backs from 2016 to 2023 after working as a scout and a quality control assistant with the team. He had not been a coordinator before joining the Buffs.

Colorado’s defense rose to 43rd nationally in points allowed after finishing 121st nationally in 2023. The unit allowed 11.7 points fewer and 101.4 yards fewer per game under Livingston. The Buffs also tied for 11th nationally in sacks, rising from 53rd in 2023, and had three first- or second-team All-Big 12 defenders, including two-way star Travis Hunter, who won the Heisman Trophy.

The (Boulder) Daily Camera first reported details of Livingston’s new deal. He earned $800,000 in 2024 and was set to earn $995,000 in 2025.

While former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is expected to be one of the early picks in this year’s NFL draft, he says he isn’t worried whether he will be selected first overall.

“Why would I be mad?” Sanders told ESPN’s Kevin Clark on Thursday. “These are good problems to have. You could be in a way worse situation. Being No. 1 doesn’t really matter to me. It’s all about fit.”

Sanders went on to explain how whatever situation he goes into won’t be the best, since it’s a team with a high draft pick, but that he wants to land in a good scheme fit.

The Tennessee Titans have the No. 1 pick and met with Sanders at the East-West Shrine Bowl. They were impressed with his maturity and poise during the interview.

The Cleveland Browns and New York Giants have the second and third picks, respectively, and also met with Sanders at the Shrine game.

Sanders and Miami‘s Cam Ward are the top two quarterbacks in the draft, and they train together with quarterbacks coach Darrell Colbert in the Dallas area. The two have been seen on various videos talking trash to each other during workouts, but they say it’s meant good-naturedly.

“It’s cool that we’re close because, if we wasn’t, they would try to pin us against each other,” Sanders said. “A lot of stuff we say, we just be playing. But people try to take things and put it out of context.”

Sanders said he spent a lot of time with former NFL quarterback Michael Vick during Shrine week. The Atlanta Falcons made Vick the top pick in the 2001 draft, the first time a Black quarterback was selected first overall.

“Every conversation we have is very impactful to me,” Sanders said. “I love being around him, talking to him and getting his insight.”

NEW YORK — The NHL Players’ Association said Wednesday it has filed an appeal on Ryan Hartman‘s behalf after the Minnesota Wild forward was suspended for 10 games for roughing.

Hartman had 48 hours from the league’s ruling Monday night to decide whether to appeal the ban for slamming an opponent’s head to the ice with his right forearm, the longest for on-ice conduct in more than six years.

The initial appeal goes to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who has regularly sided with the Department of Player Safety and disciplinary decisions made by its vice president, George Parros. If Bettman upholds the suspension, Hartman has the right to appeal to a neutral arbitrator.

Hartman is forfeiting $487,805 in salary as part of his fifth career suspension and fourth since 2023. He would get more than $48,000 back for each game it is reduced by, if at all.

Washington‘s Tom Wilson recouped six games worth of salary when his 2018 suspension was reduced from 20 to 14 on appeal to an arbitrator jointly appointed by the league and union, even though he had already served 16.

Hartman, 30, was initially ejected with a match penalty for roughing Ottawa‘s Tim Stutzle late in the second period of the teams’ game Saturday night.

“Hartman contends that he is attempting to use his hand to regain his balance, using Stutzle for support and that their fall to the ice is accidental. We disagree,” Player Safety said in a video announcing the suspension. “With Stutzle bent low and focused on winning the draw, Hartman chooses to take advantage of a vulnerable player in an unacceptable fashion. Hartman intentionally uses his forearm and body weight to drive Stutzle’s head directly into the ice from a height, which makes this play inherently dangerous and unacceptable.”