Overview

• Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter became the fifth and sixth players in Colorado football history to have their jerseys retired, in a ceremony held during the spring game.
• The decision, made less than a week before both players are expected to be top NFL draft picks, has drawn criticism from some alumni, including former linebacker Chad Brown, who called it premature.
• Brown argued that while Sanders and Hunter deserve recognition, past program greats should have been prioritized, citing Colorado’s historically conservative approach to jersey retirements.
• Deion Sanders defended the timing, emphasizing his philosophy of honoring achievements immediately rather than waiting decades, and criticized delays in recognizing figures like late coach Bill McCartney.
• The retirements highlight the impact of Sanders and Hunter, who led Colorado’s resurgence, with Hunter winning the Heisman Trophy and Sanders receiving the Johnny Unitas Award.