


Colorado’s Deion Sanders and Travis Hunter don’t have a problem with the questionable hit by Colorado State defensive back Henry Blackburn on Saturday that hospitalized the two-way star and is expected to sideline him for the next three games.
Sanders, the Buffaloes’ head coach, tried to move on Tuesday from the play, which many fans have called dirty and resulted in death threats for Blackburn and his family.
“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,” Sanders said, according to The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov.
“I forgive him. Our team forgives him. Travis Hunter has forgiven him. Let’s move on. That kid does not deserve that.”
In a social media video posted Monday, Hunter said he had no issues with the play.
“It’s football at the end of the day,” the 20-year-old said, according to TMZ. “Stuff like that gonna happen. He did what he was supposed to do. It’s football.”
The play in question happened in the second quarter of Colorado’s 43-35 double-overtime win.

Hunter returned to the field later in the game before being taken to the hospital in the third quarter with what was reportedly diagnosed with a lacerated liver.
If not for the medical staff, Hunter said he never would’ve left the game.


“Just gotta get up and fight again — that’s what I tried to do,” Hunter said. “Good thing the doctors stopped me because if there was no doctors there I’d still be out there playing.”
Hunter is expected to miss the next three games as Colorado opens Pac-12 play Saturday on the road against No. 10 Oregon.
After that comes No. 5 USC.
Hunter has been one of the feel-good stories surrounding the upstart No. 19 Buffaloes.

Playing both wide receiver and cornerback, Hunter has been touted as an early Heisman Trophy candidate, along with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the son of the Pro Football Hall of Famer.