Buffs Beat

Colorado Buffaloes Greats Sound Off On Shedeur Sanders And Travis Hunter's Number Retirement

Colorado Buffaloes greats Joel Klatt, Chad Brown, David Bakhtiari, Phillip Lindsay and others sounded off on the program retiring Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter's jersey numbers during Saturday's spring football game. "You don't erase history," one said.
Jack Carlough|
Sep 1, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Phillip Lindsay (23) celebrates his touchdown carry with quarterback Steven Montez (12) in the first quarter at Sports Authority Field against the Colorado State Rams at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Sep 1, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Phillip Lindsay (23) celebrates his touchdown carry with quarterback Steven Montez (12) in the first quarter at Sports Authority Field against the Colorado State Rams at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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Colorado Buffaloes

The Colorado Buffaloes' recent decision to retire quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter's respective jersey numbers during Saturday's spring football game isn't exactly sitting well with some of the program's recent all-time greats.

While most believe Sanders' No. 2 and Hunter's No. 12 are deserving of retirement, doing so four months after their college careers ended may be too soon. Only four numbers are retired by Colorado: Joe Romig's No. 67, Byron White's No. 24, Bobby Anderson's No. 11 and Rashaan Salaam's No. 19. However, offensive lineman Kahlil Benson wore No. 67 last year and defensive back Preston Hodge currently sports No. 24. Anderson's No. 11 is also being worn by safety Tawfiq Byard this spring.

Oct 15, 2022; Boulder, Colorado, USA; General view of Folsom Field during the second half against the California Golden Bears
Oct 15, 2022; Boulder, Colorado, USA; General view of Folsom Field during the second half against the California Golden Bears. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Former Colorado running back Phillip Lindsay, who set 24 school records during his time with the Buffs from 2013-17, recently spoke on the controversy during his 104.3 The Fan radio show, "The Drive." Lindsay said that several all-time great players from Colorado's late 1980s and 1990s glory days don't have their numbers retired. "You don't erase history," Lindsay noted.

"These players that have pretty much led us and set a standard, they don't even have their jerseys retired," Lindsay said. "You don't have Darian Hagan's jersey retired, who's No. 3. You don't have Eric Bieniemy's number retired, who's No. 1. You don't have Alfred Williams', 'Big Al,' jersey retired, and they won national championships. Why all of a sudden are we starting now? Why are we skipping them?

"I'm not saying, Zach (co-host Zach Bye), that Travis Hunter or even Shedeur Sanders shouldn't have their jerseys retired because I know Travis Hunter is gonna get his jersey retired. The man is just different. But what was the rush? Why are we skipping people that earned the right to have that moment?"

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Former Colorado quarterback and current Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt shared a similar sentiment while appearing on "First Things First."

"Not a good look," Klatt said. "I don't know of anybody anywhere that has been a more staunch supporter of what has gone on at Colorado, and still am, by the way... I just think that it cheapens what you're trying to do. You're trying to honor Shedeur Sanders, you're trying to honor Travis Hunter... With Shedeur, it's way too easy from the outside looking in to say, 'Would this happen if he had a different name on his back?'"

Klatt added that Colorado coach Deion Sanders didn't purvey the decision to retire Shedeur and Hunter's numbers on Saturday.

"This did not come from Deion (Sanders)," Klatt said. "This has to get signed off by the athletic director (Rick George). I talked to him today and told him I didn't agree with this. He said listen, 'This guy, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter changed the trajectory of our program.'"

All-time great Colorado linebacker Chad Brown would've liked to see a longer "waiting period" before the numbers get retired.

Former Colorado all-conference offensive lineman David Bakhtiari also mentioned Figures while sharing his thoughts on the controversy.

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Jack Carlough
JACK CARLOUGH

Jack Carlough is lead reporter for Colorado Buffaloes on SI. Jack graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor's degree in journalism and minors in business and sports media. Born and raised in the Boulder area, Jack began covering Colorado athletics in 2018 and was the head sports editor of the CU Independent during his college career. More recently, he spent over three years as the managing editor of the USA Today Sports Network's Colorado Buffaloes Wire, where he covered Colorado's hiring of head football coach Deion Sanders. Other publications Jack has written for include the Boulder Daily Camera, Left Hand Valley Courier and SB Nation’s Ralphie Report. In 2022, the Colorado Press Association awarded Jack second place in its annual Class 5 Best Sports Column Writing category.

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