SAN ANTONIO – Colorado has secured record-breaking insurance for quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, as the star duo opted to complete their college careers in the Alamo Bowl instead of sitting out and preparing for the NFL draft.
Colorado would not disclose the amount of insurance coverage each person received, citing privacy laws. Coach Deion Sanders and athletic director Rick George both said it was the biggest in college football history.
“We happen to have two players who will likely be the first two picks of the NFL draft,” Sanders said Monday. “We all know who those two are and they’ve gotten, I think, the most coverage ever in college football. It far surpasses anyone who has ever played this college football game.
While college programs purchase insurance for their athletes in case of injury, Colorado increased disability coverage for the entire roster in the Alamo Bowl. Sanders, the coach of the No. 20 Buffaloes, took care of his QB son and two-way star Hunter received a bigger policy as both are projected to be among the top 10 selections in the upcoming NFL draft.
“It was his idea that we should get disability insurance for our athletes for this competition to ensure they played and would be properly cared for if an injury occurred,” George said. “So we worked on that together. We are enthusiastic about it. We love having all our players in the game. This is how all bowl games should be.”
Colorado (9-3, No. 23 CFP) will face the 17th-ranked BYU Cougars (10-2, No. 17 CFP) on Saturday in the Alamo Bowl.
While most teams are struggling with starters opting out of bowl games this year to enter the transfer portal or the NFL draft, the Buffaloes didn’t lose a single player on their two-deep roster.
“It’s more than what I got (while playing at Kansas State),” Colorado linebackers coach Andre’ Hart said. “They gave us a helmet and told us to put it on your leg and go out and play. If they get that (increased insurance coverage), I think it’s helpful. To talk about where the game is, where it’s going and how the leadership is taking care of the players, I thought that was excellent.”
Shedeur Sanders completed 337 of 454 passes for 3,926 yards and 35 touchdowns this season. Many scouting services have Sanders rated as the top quarterback in this year’s draft.
Hunter received the Heisman Trophy as a two-way standout at cornerback and wide receiver. He had 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns and, as a cornerback, had four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and limited the opposition to 22 receptions on 688 defensive snaps.
“They took care of us, all of them,” Colorado running back Micah Welch said. “It really means a lot to have every teammate here. That’s something big. What I love about Coach Prime is that they take care of us.”
