As Colorado gears up for its December 28 matchup in the Alamo Bowl against BYU, head coach Deion Sanders continues to make headlines with bold decisions that speak volumes. Recently, he made what he called a “tremendous announcement” regarding player safety: the university managed to secure a record-breaking amount of disability insurance for two of its standout athletes, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders—the latter being Deion Sanders’ son. This initiative is not just a number on a ledger; it represents a necessary step in protecting young athletes who put their bodies on the line every week on the football field.
Athletic director Rick George echoed Sanders’ sentiments during a pre-game press conference, stating, “It was [Sanders’s] initiative to obtain disability insurance for our student-athletes for this game, ensuring they would be well taken care of if anything happened.” This commitment goes beyond mere protocol; it sets a standard for how college football programs should prioritize the well-being of their student-athletes, especially in high-stakes games like bowls.
While Sanders proudly claimed that the insurance coverage for Hunter and Shedeur represented “the highest number of coverage that has ever been covered,” neither he nor George disclosed exact figures. This omission sparked a wave of curiosity and discussion in the media, with many viewing Sanders as a trailblazer in securing vital disability coverage for college players. The backdrop is notable: just a year prior, Colorado faced scrutiny when it was revealed that Hunter had taken to the field without income protection, a troubling fact especially highlighted after he experienced a potentially career-threatening injury early in the season.
However, as is often the case in sports, not everything is as it seems. Public records obtained by *Sportico* have shed light on deficiencies in the touted coverage. Specifically, the insurance secured for Shedeur and Travis Hunter only marginally increased from their existing policies. Communication between CU officials and Paradigm Gilbert, the insurance broker, reveals that the athletes had previously been covered by $20 million in disability insurance for both regular and postseason play. As they prepared for the bowl game, the university offered an additional $1 million in temporary coverage, costing CU around $1,030 per player—bringing their total to $21 million. But here’s the catch: once the dust from the Alamo Bowl settles on December 29, their coverage would revert back to that original $20 million.
Like many institutions grappling with the complexities of college athletics, CU was tight-lipped on specifics, adhering to student privacy regulations. And while Paradigm Gilbert’s broker, Matthew Vuckovich, didn’t respond to inquiries, several anonymous sources indicate that there are indeed other college football players with disability policies that saw coverage limits soar beyond $21 million, raising questions about the uniqueness of CU’s announcement.
It’s impossible not to view this development through the lens of the Deion Sanders era at Colorado. His tenure, which began in 2022, marked a significant shift in how the school approached insurance for its top players. Before Sanders arrived, the last time the school had secured insurance for a player was back in 2019 when receiver Laviska Shenault was on the roster. Typically, this kind of financial safety net is reserved for athletes pegged as likely NFL Draft picks—a category that was scarce for Colorado until Sanders took the reins and brought in talents like Hunter and his son.
Of course, the insurance saga has layers that can complicate matters. Earlier this season, Hunter found himself uninsured following a traumatic injury—a lacerated liver from a late hit during a game against Colorado State. At that point, the university’s stance emphasized the complexity of securing such coverage while acknowledging its critical importance. Insider knowledge suggested that a prior preference for using Paradigm Gilbert over an athletic department consultant was a stumbling block that delayed insurance for players. Eventually, though, insurance became available for key individuals, including Hunter and Shedeur.
As the Alamo Bowl approaches, uncertainty lingers around how many athletes benefited from the school’s disability insurance plan. Sanders referenced “a multitude of draftable players” who had received coverage throughout the season. But when *Sportico* sought clarity on the number of policies CU had financed, they provided records for only Hunter and Shedeur. The university stated in an email, “As Rick and Coach Prime indicated during their Alamo Bowl press conference, additional coverage was offered to the entire team. This coverage was subsequently provided to those who qualified and accepted our offer.” However, it leaves us all wondering: who exactly qualified and how many were truly in the safety net?
Paradigm Gilbert itself, the insurance broker in question, has a unique history. The California-based firm primarily caters to the growing protections of professional athletes. Founded by Dennis Gilbert, a former sports agent and executive with the Chicago White Sox, the company currently finds itself embroiled in a four-year breach of contract lawsuit. The case arises from a denied disability claim for a former Major League Baseball pitcher, set to go to trial in just a couple of weeks.
While the landscape of collegiate athletics continues to navigate uncharted waters, the Colorado football program is striving to rewrite the narrative around player protection. The road ahead remains complicated, but with leaders like Deion Sanders at the helm, there’s a renewed focus on ensuring young athletes are safeguarded as they chase their dreams on the field.
