Warren Sapp Rescues Shedeur Sanders & Travis Hunter From Unwarranted Hate With a 2-Word Warning to Colorado Alum

The firestorm around Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter hasn’t let up since the NFL Combine. First came the buzz that a quarterbacks coach found Shedeur to be “arrogant” and “brash.” Then, Hunter, despite his two-way dominance and Heisman credentials, was drowned in skepticism for not being “great enough.” Add to that the backlash surrounding Colorado’s decision to retire both players’ jerseys, and things boiled over. Former NFL Hall of Famer Warren Sapp, now the Colorado Buffs PRC, wasn’t about to let that slide. Alongside Uncle Neely, he stepped in this week to do what Hall of Famers do best—cut through the noise with brutal clarity.

On Wednesdays With Warren, the mood flipped from casual to fiery real quick. Neely, standing near Folsom Field, noticed something that sparked the conversation. “I see two scaffolds up there right now,” he said. “Oh, I already know what that is. Yeah, one of them is putting up the name Travis on it. One putting up the name Shedeur Sanders.” Then Neely dropped the real source of his frustration: “And the nerve of some people out there saying that they don’t deserve that!” That was enough to set off Warren Sapp, who couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Hold up, hold up, hold up,” QB Killa barked. “Our quarterback that holds every passing record at this university – he was only here two years. So if he played four, it’d be something that’s untouchable—it wouldn’t be close.” And he wasn’t finished. “And the other fella? Hey, you got to rebuild the trophy room again because just him—we can’t even name all the double… every trophy that’s in the building. Stop it, people. Come talk to us about something that’s relevant. No, don’t come with the foolishness, man. Cuz that’s foolishness. That’s foolishness man.” Both synced like the chorus of a song.

Neely chimed back in, recalling what some critics told him. “Well Neely, I’m not going to say they don’t deserve it, but it’s too soon.” He had the perfect response: “How is it too soon to pay somebody what you owe them?” From Sapp’s vantage point, this isn’t a debate about timing—it’s about impact. Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter weren’t just stats and splash—they were cultural gravity pulling Colorado out of football irrelevance.

Still, the pushback hasn’t only come from anonymous message boards. Former Buffs QB and current Fox Sports voice Joel Klatt—someone who’s never shy about speaking his mind—added fuel to the fire. “Man, not a good look,” Klatt said with a wry smile, fully aware of how this would go over in Boulder. “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.” It wasn’t a full-blown takedown, but it was clear: Klatt wasn’t sold.

To be fair, Klatt made a distinction. Travis Hunter’s #12 being retired makes sense. “He won the Heisman Trophy,” Klatt said, pointing out that only one other Buff—Rashaan Salaam—had earned that honor, and his jersey wasn’t retired until 23 years later. But Shedeur’s jersey? “That’s a little harder to justify,” Klatt implied. The elephant in the room? The last name Sanders doesn’t earn you enshrinement. But Shedeur Sanders didn’t just ride coattails—he earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. That’s not a nameplate award.

Critics can dissect the timing all they want.

No more dad in the headset, Shedeur Sanders ready to fly solo

When Shedeur Sanders hears his name called at next week’s NFL Draft, it’ll mark more than just the start of his pro career. It’ll be the first time he plays without his dad, Deion Sanders, calling the shots from the sideline. From Jackson State to Colorado, Deion’s been more than “Coach Prime”—he’s been a consistent presence in Shedeur’s football journey. But now? It’s time to turn the page.

Teams have naturally asked Shedeur one big question during the pre-draft process: How will he adjust to life without Dad coaching him? His answer? Cool, calm, and classic Shedeur. “Dad ain’t out there playing for me now,” he told ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler. “You acting like he out there snapping the ball. He not in the mic, saying, ‘Hey, throw this slant right here.’ He not doing that at all. So he just oversees everything.”

And just to set the record straight—Shedeur has already worked under six different offensive coordinators across high school and college. So no, he’s not just riding the Coach Prime wave. Sure, they’ll always be tight. But once Shedeur hits the league, he’s out to show everyone he can shine all on his own.