An undeserved retirement?

By Trevor Speetzen April 17, 2025 03:55

In just a few short days University of Colorado, Boulder alumni Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter will have their collegiate numbers retired. The Buffaloes have decided to Sanders’ #2 and Hunter’s #12 out of commission for Colorado college football.

Both Hunter and Sanders are high prospects entering the 2025 NFL draft with Hunter being a high priority for a lot of teams. Sanders is getting his flowers as well, he’s the second ranked quarterback entering the draft behind the University of Miami’s Cam Ward.

While both players experienced success during their time in college, do they both deserve to have their jersey numbers retired?

Sanders and Hunter will join Rashaan Salaam, Byron White, Joe Romig and Bobby Anderson as the only football players in Colorado’s 135-year history to have their numbers retired.

There have been some mixed reactions to the announcement that both players will have their numbers retired. Some Colorado alumni raise the questions if Sanders or Hunter deserve to have their numbers retired.

Former Denver Broncos offensive lineman and Boulder alumni Tyler Polumbus expressed his opinions about the jersey retirement and whether the players deserved it or not.

"Retiring a Heisman Trophy winner's number is a no-brainer at CU," Polumbus told 9news.com. "No beef w/ #12 immediately getting retired. #2 probably deserves it eventually as well but I do admit that this one feels very quick."

Polumbus’ comments pretty much summed up what a lot of people feel about this decision. A generational, two-way, Heisman trophy-winning player deserves his flowers and the recognition that he deserves.

However, does the same apply to Shedeur Sanders? Let's look at Sanders’ accomplishments during his time at Colorado: he won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and was named BIG-12 Offensive Player of the Year. That’s it.

Sanders never made the college playoffs, had a 13-11 record as a starter and never even won a bowl with the Buffaloes. Yet, he’s going to be placed on the same pedestal with Hunter, a Heisman trophy winner.

Is this another case of nepotism for Sanders? Is he only getting his jersey retired because Hunter’s was being retired too? If so, why doesn’t Shilo Sanders also get a jersey retirement as well?

Sanders is being hailed as one of the greatest college quarterbacks that ever played at Colorado, yet he didn’t accomplish as much as people make it out to be.

However, there is a case to be argued why he should have a jersey retirement. He helped get Colorado back into the win column, he got the team their first bowl appearance since 2020 and he established a culture and legacy at Colorado, but is it enough? Is this still undeserved?

I feel these questions can be answered after Sanders has a year of experience in the NFL. Sanders is expected to be taken early in the NFL draft and just like in Colorado, he could seriously turn around a franchise in the NFL if all of this hype around him is real.