Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders spearheaded Colorado’s 9-win season in 2024. In doing that, Hunter won the Heisman, and Shedeur also collected individual honors. But that wasn’t all. The Colorado admin retired their jersey numbers in a ceremony held last April, adding both players to CU’s Legacy Hall. The decision immediately drew skepticism, which continues to this day.

“Nothing against Shedeur Sanders and nothing against Travis Hunter. Unbelievable players at CU and definitely should be recognized,” CU alum Darrin Chiaverini told the Denver Sports podcast on June 25. “At some point, they should have been recognized. I think them skipping to the front of the line. I think it wore a lot of the old buffs [that were worthy of being up on those walls] the wrong way.”

CU’s Legacy Hall had 10 individual awards on display and needed space for 18 more trophies last year. The program renovated the Hall and made more space to keep the awards won by Shedeur and Hunter. But the decision to retire their jerseys wasn’t well-received by the old guard. Joel Klatt didn’t like the timing.

On his part, Deion Sanders stood by the CU admin’s decision. He even brushed aside the criticism that the two should have waited for their turn, calling it inevitable. But Chiavereni, you can’t ignore who came before Travis and Shedeur.

“I’m a fan, but he (Shedeur) doesn’t go up there before Darian Hagen,” Chiavereni said. “He doesn’t go up there before Eric Bieniemy. He doesn’t go up there before Chad Brown. And he doesn’t go up there before Alfred Williams. He doesn’t go up there before Deon Figures. But it’s not Shedeur or Travis’s fault. I just think that things have got to be done the right way.”

Many can make a strong case for choosing Hagen, Bieniemy, Williams, and Brown before Shedeur or Hunter. Williams played for Colorado in the 1980s and was a first-round pick. During his stint, the standout linebacker wasn’t just an All-American twice. But he also helped CU win the 1990 national title. The same is true of Brown, who was also a key player on the 1990 Natty-winning CU team.

Bieniemy, the now-Chiefs OC, plowed through the defenses, winning the Big Eight offensive player of the year in 1990. Moreover, who can forget about Darian Hagan, the standout QB who led the Buffs to their sole national championship win? Despite their credentials, Travis Hunter is only the second Heisman winner for Colorado, and his case is obvious.

Chad Brown also didn’t like CU’s decision

CU’s 2024 season was its best since 2016; before that, the program bottomed out at 1-11 in 2022 prior to Deion Sanders’ arrival at Boulder. However, that successful season was more about individual accolades than team honors. The Buffs neither made it to the Big 12 Championship game nor the playoffs. Retiring jerseys after just one good season, rather than after consistent dominance, was seen as disrespectful to many legends. 

“If the players from the National Champ team have not received such an honor, by default, this action dismisses, diminishes & for a new generation of CU fans erases their greatness,” CU legend Chad Brown said to ESPN last year. “I would never minimize the impact of #2 or #12; they are amazing players. But this timing is poor.”

Afterward, accusations of nepotism also emerged. Nevertheless, they have now retired the jersey, and debates about the decision will rage on. Maybe moving on, people can look at the decision more kindly after both Shedeur and Travis dominate in the NFL.