Deion Sanders: Unprecedented insurance coverage for top players in bowl game
The University of Colorado has secured a historic level of insurance coverage for Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, ensuring their protection in case of injury during the upcoming Alamo Bowl against BYU, which will take place on Saturday in their last college game.
Coach Deion Sanders made the announcement on Monday as the team arrived in San Antonio for the December 28 matchup.
“We have two players who will likely be the top two picks in the NFL draft,” Deion Sanders stated. “Everyone knows who they are, and they now have the highest insurance coverage ever available in college football history.”
“That’s right,” Colorado athletic director Rick George confirmed, who collaborated with Sanders to acquire the coverage.
“This amount surpasses all previous coverage in college football history,” Sanders explained.
At this time, Colorado has not provided details regarding the size or cost of the insurance policies or how many players are included.
Who proposed the coverage for Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders?
George stated that the idea originated with Deion Sanders. He wanted his star players to participate in the bowl game rather than choose to opt-out, a common practice for top NFL prospects to avoid injury in the postseason. For instance, Michigan has several top athletes who have opted out of the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama set for December 31 in Tampa.
“Sanders suggested that we secure disability insurance for our student athletes for this game to make certain that they could play and, should an injury occur, they would be well protected,” George noted. “We collaborated on this initiative. We are thrilled that all our players will be participating in the game, as that is how bowl games should function.”
Sanders expressed his gratitude to the CU administration and George for their financial commitment to this protection.
He remarked that the athletes had insurance coverage “throughout the season.” For the bowl game, they aimed to “make sure that if anything were to happen, they would be taken care of.”
George praised Sanders’ initiative.
“It’s a testament to his leadership, encouraging his players by saying, ‘We want you to play,’ and we took this step to ensure they have the coverage they need,” George commented. “We are eagerly anticipating the game, and fans will see our entire roster in action.”
This includes Hunter, who faces a higher injury risk due to being a two-way player who rarely exits the game. He still has one season of college eligibility left but plans to enter the NFL next year. Shedeur Sanders, who is Deion’s son, will be finishing his college eligibility after this Saturday and is projected to be a top pick in the NFL draft alongside Hunter in April.
(This story has been updated with new details.)
