Deion Sanders Confirms Tragic Death of Colorado Quarterback Dominiq Ponder

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Dominiq Ponder died on Saturday night. He was 23 years old.

Scott Procter of DNVR Buffs reported that the death was the result of a single-car accident.

Colorado's Dominiq Ponder Tragically Dies

Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Coach Deion Sanders confirmed the news in a heartfelt social media post on Sunday.

“God, please comfort the Ponder family, friends and loved ones. Dom was one of my favorites!” Sanders said via X. “He was loved, respected, & a born leader. Let’s pray for all who knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord, you’re receiving a good one. Comfort us, Lord, Comfort us.”

Tributes poured in from teammates and coaches following the news. Quarterback Colton Allen was the first to reveal the death via social media.

“Dom, you were a blessing to so many people. You had a presence about you that just made everything better,” Allen said on social media. “You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I’m grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, every conversation we got to share. I’ll carry those with me for the rest of my life.”

“At a complete loss for words rn. Life isn’t fair and this doesn’t feel real,” former Colorado quarterback Ryan Staub said in an Instagram story. “You were always a pleasure to be around. We motivated each other and kept each other in check. Love you forever and gone way too soon. Fly high, Dom.”

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Ponder was a redshirt junior entering his third season with the Buffaloes as a backup quarterback. He started his college career at Myrtle Beach Collegiate Academy before enrolling at Bethune-Cookman mid-season, where he redshirted his freshman year after appearing in two games.

He transferred to Colorado in 2024, joining the football team as a walk-on.

He appeared in two games over two seasons, both of which came in 2025. He made his collegiate debut on Nov. 1 against the Arizona Wildcats, playing the game's final three snaps and throwing one incomplete pass. Ponder contributed to special teams a week later against West Virginia.

A native of Opa Locka, Florida, Ponder starred at two Sunshine State high schools. He started at Naples High School before transferring to Miami Carol City, where 247Sports rated him a three-star prospect.

Colorado is scheduled to begin spring practices on Monday, March 2.