There’s a fine line between gratification and self-indulgence. When Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter arrived in Boulder, the Colorado football program was a cesspool of mediocrity. Heck, even that may be an understatement. As hyperbolic as it sounds, the Buffaloes were arguably the worst program in the FBS. Deion Sanders sure deserves a lot of credit for the turnaround, but he doesn’t pad up and take to the gridiron. Shedeur and Travis have been hugely influential in changing the fortunes of this flailing program. Taking a 1-win team to 9 wins within two seasons is a testament to this. Now that they’re bidding adieu and ascending to the NFL, the school has reciprocated their efforts with a massive show of love and respect. They’ve retired their jersey numbers. But is this a step too far? A Colorado alum with a very resonant voice in the media sure thinks so.
FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt is intrinsically etched into College Football. When he’s not calling the action from the booth, he’s dissecting it on his various platforms. But Klatt’s tryst with CFB precedes his career in the media sphere. While he’s got to be a neutral voice on the mic, the blood coursing through his veins is black and gold. Joel Klatt’s from nearby Arvada and quarterbacked the Buffs during his own career. So not only do his words hold weight in context of Colorado being his alumni, but because he has walked in the same shoes as Shedeur Sanders. So when he relays his opinion that the school should not have retired his, or even Travis Hunter’s jersey, it doesn’t fall on deaf ears. Quite literally, because he even said this to the athletic director directly!
During an appearance on First Things First, Joel Klatt was confronted about the news reverberating out of CU. Most people have voiced disagreement with the decision, but you’d have thought the primary representative of the school in the media would quell the discourse. Instead, he fanned its flames. A hesitant Klatt said, “Man, not a good look,” as he smiled, knowing this wouldn’t go down well in Boulder. He prefaced his elaborate explanation behind why this retirement isn’t just premature, but ill-advised, by clarifying how this isn’t him disowning the program or its custodian, Coach Prime. “I don’t know of anybody anywhere that has been a more staunch supporter of what has gone on in Colorado [than myself].” But Klatt couldn’t agree with this decision, especially Shedeur Sanders’ #2 being in the rafters. He even gave a very rational take on how this actually affects Shedeur negatively.
No. 2 & No. 12 — Officially Untouchable.
Witness Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter have their jersey numbers retired during the Spring Game on April 19th.
: https://t.co/H4xwlMeXQF pic.twitter.com/xRPe9kazzj
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) April 14, 2025
First, Joel Klatt gave insight on his conversation with AD Rick George. “This has to get signed off by the athletic director. I talked to him, told him that I didn’t agree with this. He said, ‘Listen, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter changed the trajectory of our program. They saved our program in a lot of ways.’ I understand that from their perspective…I just think that it cheapens what you’re actually trying to do.” he remarked. Travis Hunter’s #12 being retired makes sense. He won the Heisman Trophy. The only other winner in Colorado history, the late Rashaan Salaam, also has his jersey retired. Salaam got the honor 23 years later, but it’s still feasible nonetheless. Shedeur’s case is a bit more difficult to make. There’s no precedent for him like there is for Travis. Which segues into the elephant in the room- nepotism. Klatt touched upon this.
“You’re trying to honor Shedeur Sanders…From the outside looking in, it’s way too easy to say, ‘Would this happen if he had a different name on his back?’…that’s what then becomes a disservice to Shedeur. You’re trying to honor him, and yet it’s just going to bring more questions,” said Joel Klatt. He even contextualized the timing of the announcement. With mere days left before the draft, there’s still no clarity around Shedeur’s fate in the NFL. In fact, there’s been sporadic reporting around teams having doubts about his ego and character. His jersey being retired definitely doesn’t help those doubts.
“When the narrative surrounding him and the questions from some of the front offices in the NFL are going to be about, ‘Does he think he’s bigger than our organization? Does his family think that he’s bigger than our organization?’…To throw this little nuclear bomb also does him a disservice,” said Klatt. In summation, he reiterated that, “I don’t agree with it.” Even though Klatt mentioned how it’s the Colorado brass that made this decision, the nepotism angle is difficult to bury. The Sanders clan is synonymous with the program now. It does make the connection both easy to make and viable. A fellow media member has explicitly staked a claim that Deion and the name on the back is indeed why Shedeur Sanders got his number retired.
Deion Sanders called out for influencing Shedeur Sanders’ number being retired
Colorado-based 9News reporter Scotty Gange didn’t mince his words when he came across this revelation. He, too, let Travis Hunter off the hook. But Shedeur Sanders wasn’t as fortunate. “I absolutely disagree with this decision. Hunter, as a Heisman winner, I can understand…But Shedeur seems like a forced plus one here. Quarterbacking your team to a 10-7 record and ending with a blowout loss in the Alamo Bowl does not qualify you for immediate jersey retirement.” he said in a post that went viral on X. As someone who’s followed the program for a while and has his finger on the pulse of the fanbase, Gange’s condemnation resounds loud. Deion Sanders, too, caught flak.
“[Colorado] has so much history and so many legends in their 135 years,” Gange proceeded. “Perhaps one day would be the right day to retire Shedeur’s number. But not today. I feel like the school felt like they had to do it to please the head coach and sell some more tickets to the spring game,” Even Shilo Sanders held a stray from Scotty Gange. “At least they’re not retiring Shilo’s number as well.” The less said about that, the better. As for whether Deion Sanders was actually a factor, Joel Klatt said, ” This did not come from Deion.” He reckons this was purely a CU decision, but it’s difficult to thwart the notion.
The timing of the announcement is just as, if not more culpable, than the actual decision. Alas, it’s now etched in the annals of the CU Buffs. Whatever your opinions on it, at least this isn’t the worst jersey retirement ever. The Miami Heat retiring Michael Jordan’s #23, who never even played for the franchise, will forever take the cake!
The post Tensions Rise for Deion Sanders as Colorado Alum Takes Stance Against Biased Shedeur Move That Screams Nepotism appeared first on EssentiallySports.