The University of Colorado announced Monday that quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter are “officially untouchable” and will retire their football jersey numbers Saturday in a ceremony at Folsom Field.
That means jersey No. 2 for Sanders and No. 12 for Hunter will not be worn again by any Colorado player and will be only the fifth and sixth retired jersey numbers in CU football history.
Both players played only two seasons at Colorado after transferring from Jackson State in Mississippi. But both made historic marks on the program. Sanders, son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders, set over 100 school records, including career passing touchdowns and completion percentage. Hunter, the receiver/cornerback, won the Heisman Trophy last year and is described in his CU bio as the ‘most decorated player in a season in college football history,’ including his win of eight major college football awards in 2024.
The ceremony to retire their jersey numbers will happen at the start of CU’s annual spring football intrasquad game on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Both players are expected to be first-round NFL draft picks on April 24 after helping the program finish 9-4 in 2024 just two years after the Buffaloes went 1-11 in 2022.
Only four other players have had their numbers retired in CU’s 135-year football history:
∎ Byron White’s No. 24. White finished second in the Heisman voting in 1937 and went on to become a U.S. Supreme Court justice.
∎ Joe Romig’s No. 67, worn by the guard/linebacker in 1959-61 before he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
∎ Bobby Anderson’s No. 11, worn by quarterback/tailback in 1967-69 before he also was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
∎ Rashaan Salaam’s No. 19, worn by the running back in 1994 when he also won the Heisman Trophy.
Swift decision by Colorado on retiring these numbers
The retirement of Hunter’s and Sanders’ jersey numbers marks the soonest Colorado has retired a player’s number after his final college game, triggering some discussion about it by former Colorado players. Salaam’s jersey number wasn’t retired until 2017, nearly 23 years after his final season at CU (and after he died in 2016).
Anderson’s number was retired the soonest before that − at halftime of the spring game following his last season at CU, on May 9, 1970.
Former Colorado receiver Darrin Chiaverini discussed the timing of this news in a post on social media site X. Hunter’s and Sanders’ last college game was in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28.
“Retiring numbers is a huge honor and something that should never be taken lightly,” Chiaverini wrote. “I believe strongly that there should be a cooling off period, the same as with the Hall of Fame in the NFL, so decisions are not made out of emotion.”
Former Colorado linebacker Chad Brown echoed that sentiment on X.
‘You win the Heisman, I get it,’ Brown wrote. ‘But at least a waiting period please.’
Chiaverini wasn’t arguing against giving this honor to Sanders and Hunter, just noting a number of other great CU players hadn’t had their numbers retired, including quarterbacks Darian Hagan and Kordell Stewart.
Hagan reposted Chiaverini’s post on X Monday. Brown said CU’s No. 2 jersey ‘will always be Deon Figures for me,’ referring to the former CU defensive back who previously wore No. 2 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame last year.
“Legacy’s need time to be evaluated and proper steps should be taken so history is preserved properly,” Chiaverini wrote. “Congratulations to Shedeur and Travis. No doubt they are etched in Colorado Football lore but let’s make sure we honor those that came before.”
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com
(This story was updated to add new information.)