Colorado survived a major scare this past week during a game against Colorado State. In what turned into a very tense affair thanks in part to comments that were made in the lead-up to the game, the Buffaloes were able to come out on top, 43-35, in double overtime.
The game was defined by its physicality, particularly in the first quarter when Rams safety Henry Blackburn laid out Colorado’s two-way star, Travis Hunter. While Hunter attempted to continue playing, he eventually had to go to a medical facility to get examined and was unable to finish the game. In the days following the game, Blackburn and his family have received death threats, with Colorado State athletic director Joe Parker telling ESPN “We’re very concerned about our player’s safety, as Henry and his family have continued to receive these threats.”
On Tuesday, Colorado coach Deion Sanders addressed the situation with Blackburn, and made it a point to call on any and all threats towards him to stop.
Very classy move by Deion Sanders, who made sure to say this during his press conference today:
"Henry Blackburn is a good player who played a phenomenal game… This is a still young man trying to make it in life … He does not deserve a death threat over a game."
"I forgive… pic.twitter.com/bx64k0ypgY
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 19, 2023
“Henry Blackburn is a good player who played a phenomenal game,” Sanders said. “He made a tremendous hit on Travis on the sideline, you can call it dirty, you can call it he was just playing the game of football. But whatever it was, it does not constitute that he should be receiving death threats, this is still a young man trying to make it in life, a guy that’s trying to live his dream, and hopefully graduate with honors or a degree, committed to excellence and go to the NFL.
“He does not deserve a death threat over a game,” Sanders continued. “At the end of the game, this is a game. Someone must win, someone must lose, everybody continues their life the next day. Very unfortunate, I’m saddened if there’s any … our fans that’s on the other side of those threats, I would hope and pray not. But that kid was just playing the best of his ability, and he made a mistake. So, I forgive him, CU, our team forgives him. Travis is, he’s forgiven him. Let’s move on, but that kid does not deserve that.”
It’s unfortunate that Sanders had to say any of this, but at the very least, it’s good to see that he’s doing whatever he can to stop all of this. As for Hunter, he’s expected to miss several weeks as a result of the hit.
