“Colorado Icon’s Surprising Take on Retiring Numbers of Hunter and Sanders Sparks Controversy”

In the whirlwind world of college football, where legends are made and numbers are immortalized, the Colorado Buffaloes have thrown a curveball that’s got everyone talking. Picture this: you’re at a university, not just playing ball, but your jersey’s already hanging from the rafters, retired before your professional career even kicks off. That’s exactly what’s happening with Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, two stars of the Buffaloes shining bright enough to have their numbers No. 12 and No. 2 put in the hall of fame prematurely.

Now, imagine stepping onto the field for your alma mater, legacy and all, only to find out that not everyone in the stands is clapping. Enter Chad Brown, a former Colorado star himself, voicing his skepticism through TMZ. The decision, he says, feels “odd,” likening it to a premature celebration. After all, aren’t jersey retirements supposed to be the epilogue, not the prequel?

Yet, Colorado’s athletic director, Rick George, stands his ground, arguing that the decision merely augments the rich legacy of CU football. A celebration of achievements, not a contradiction. But the question remains poignantly in the air like a Hail Mary pass — Did the Buffaloes rush to honor or is this a historic misstep?

Dive deeper into this unique conundrum and judge for yourself. LEARN MORE.

The Colorado Buffaloes have decided to retire the jersey numbers for Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders before they even step foot in the NFL.  

When Colorado announced that No. 12 and No. 2 would be retired, the initial belief was that everyone would support that decision. Well, that hasn’t been the case at all. During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, former Colorado star Chad Brown didn’t hold back his thoughts on his alma mater immediately retiring Hunter and Sanders’ jersey numbers.  

Brown, a former all-conference linebacker and national champion, said it’s “a bit odd” to see Colorado immediately honor two players that left the program. 

“If we were a program which handed these things out all the time, I think myself and a lot of other former alumni would look at this through a very, very different lens,” Brown said. “But considering how incredibly conservative we have been, and now to do it to two guys, who are both on campus still – their graduating class hasn’t even left campus yet – it feels a bit odd.”

Brown said most Colorado alums that he spoke to “feel the same way” about this move.

Colorado athletic director Rick George has already addressed the criticism the Buffaloes are receiving for this decision. 

“Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are both great Buffs and exceptional talents who have been tremendous representatives of our program and of our university and led our team back to national prominence,” George said, via ESPN. “Recognizing the accomplishments of a Heisman Trophy winner and record-setting quarterback who ushered in this new era of CU football now does not detract from accomplishments of the past. Rather, it adds to the rich legacy of CU football that has been passed down over the years by everyone who has worn a CU uniform.”

Do you think Colorado made a mistake honoring Hunter and Sanders this quickly?

Related: Former NFL General Manager Makes Bold Shedeur Sanders Prediction