Sometimes, things in sports can get really serious, and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders reminded everyone of that recently. After a close and intense game between Colorado and Colorado State, a player from Colorado State, Henry Blackburn, received death threats for a hit he made on Colorado’s star player, Travis Hunter.
This hit was tough, and it sent Hunter to the hospital with a lacerated liver. He’ll need about three weeks to recover, according to Coach Sanders. However, Coach Sanders felt that despite the hit being hard, it didn’t warrant such a harsh reaction from fans. So, he decided to speak out about it.
Coach Sanders said he’s saddened to hear about any of their fans being involved in making death threats. He hopes and prays that it’s not the case. He wants people to remember that Blackburn, the player from Colorado State, was just doing his best on the field, and he made a mistake. Coach Sanders and his team have forgiven Blackburn, and they believe that everyone should move forward. They don’t think Blackburn deserves death threats.
Very classy move by Deion Sanders, who made sure to say this during his press conference today:
"Henry Blackburn is a good player who played a phenomenal game… This is a still young man trying to make it in life … He does not deserve a death threat over a game."
"I forgive… pic.twitter.com/bx64k0ypgY
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 19, 2023
Coach Sanders pointed out that Henry Blackburn is a talented player who had a great game. He made a big hit on Travis Hunter on the sideline, and while some might call it a dirty play, others might see it as just part of the game. But no matter how you see it, it doesn’t mean that Blackburn should be threatened with death. He’s a young man trying to achieve his dreams, and he doesn’t deserve such harsh treatment over a game.
The threats weren’t just aimed at Blackburn; they also targeted his family. Someone even posted Blackburn’s phone number, his address on campus, and his family’s home address online. This caused a lot of distress for Blackburn and his loved ones.
While Blackburn was penalized for the hit during the game, he wasn’t ejected from the match. So far, there hasn’t been any additional punishment from the NCAA, the Mountain West Conference, or Colorado State regarding the hit. Coach Sanders wanted to emphasize that sports should be competitive and passionate, but threats and harm should never be part of the game.
