As the Colorado Buffaloes gear up for their Alamo Bowl clash against BYU on Dec. 28, the spotlight is on more than just the game. Head coach Deion Sanders, aka Coach Prime, has made headlines by securing unprecedented disability insurance for his star players, quarterback (and son) Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.
The Latest Coach Prime Move
This move, which Colorado athletics director Rick George confirmed was spearheaded by Sanders, is virtually unheard of in college football, Sports Illustrated reported.
“It was his idea we should get disability insurance for our athletes for this game to ensure that they played and if there was some kind of injury that they would be well taken care of,” George said to the press on Dec. 23. “So, we worked together on that. We’re excited about it. We think it’s great that all our players are playing in the game. That’s what all bowl games should be like.”
The coverage guarantees the players’ financial security in the event of an injury.
While most college programs provide insurance policies to protect athletes in case of injury, Colorado took an extra step by increasing disability coverage for its entire roster during the Alamo Bowl.
Colorado extended enhanced disability coverage to other draft-eligible players on the roster. Sanders emphasized the importance of finishing the season as a team: “We wanted to ensure that if something were to happen, they would be covered.”
“It’s more than what I got,” Colorado linebackers coach Andre’ Hart said of when he played at Kansas State. “They gave us a helmet and said pop this on your leg and get out there and play. For them to get that (increased insurance coverage), I just think it’s beneficial. To talk about where the game is, where it’s going and how leadership is taking care of the players, I thought that’s excellent.”
Both Hunter and Shedeur, projected top-10 picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, received larger policies. While exact figures remain undisclosed due to privacy laws, Sanders described the policies as “the highest number of coverage that has ever been covered in college football.”
“They’ve taken care of us, everybody,” Colorado running back Micah Welch said of the insurance. “It really means a lot to have every teammate up here. That’s a big thing. What I like about Coach Prime, they’re taking care of us.”
