Colorado Player Travis Hunter Speaks Out In Defense Of Rival Player Who Landed Him In Hospital

University of Colorado’s star two-way football player Travis Hunter offered words of support for Colorado State’s Hunter Blackburn, whose late hit Saturday night put Hunter in the hospital and him in hot water with Colorado fans.

Travis Hunter opens up on his injury after Saturday’s game pic.twitter.com/XD3JNxxYv9

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 18, 2023

The late tackle came on a dead ball. Hunter missed the rest of the game, but the 20-year-old Florida native doesn’t believe Blackburn’s actions were anything more than playing football.

“Stuff like that is going to happen, so I just stay humble. He did what he was supposed to do. It’s football. Something bad is going to happen on the field sooner or later,” Hunter said in his first appearance since being released from the hospital. “You’ve just gotta get up and fight again. That’s what I try to do, get up and fight.”

The cornerback and wide receiver was back on the field following the hit but would not return to the game after halftime because team doctors believed his injuries were internal. Their decision was potentially career- and life-changing for Hunter, who sustained a liver laceration and will be out for three weeks.

“Good thing the doctors stopped me, because if there was no doctors there, I would have still been out there playing,” he continued. “But I’m thankful for everybody that helped me.”

Hunter is one of Colorado’s most important players, as he competes in over 85 percent of the team’s snaps on both offense and defense. He is also one of the most exciting athletes in college sports as early projections put him in the running for the coveted Heisman Trophy.

Blackburn was flagged for unnecessary roughness during the game but was not suspended or thrown out. Sports fans and pundits were incensed about the Colorado State safety being allowed to stay in the game. After the matchup, the personal information of Blackburn and his mother were released online, making them the subjects of death threats.

The Deion Sanders-coached Colorado Buffaloes are now 3-0 after beating Colorado State 43-35.