With the news that Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter’s numbers have been retired, we thought it was a great time to look at every Colorado player whose jersey has been retired.
Only four numbers have been retired in CU’s 135-year football history before Sanders and Hunter. Some numbers, like 11, 24, and 67, were retired but reentered into circulation years later. No. 19 will still be “unwearable” for 14 more seasons, meaning that retiring two more numbers did not drastically reduce the available numbers.
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Without further ado, here are Colorado football’s six retired numbers, with the addition of No. 2 and No. 12.
No. 24 – Byron White
Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a Colorado Buffalos helmet at Arizona Stadium.
Quarterback and halfback Byron White wore No. 24 from 1936-37 for the Buffs. White was an All-American running back for Colorado in 1937 and led the Buffaloes to an undefeated season that year. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. White’s jersey was retired on November 3, 1938, near the end of the following season, by being placed in a special university trophy case.
No. 67 – Joe Romig
Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes mascot Ralphie is run onto the field before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Romig was an offensive guard for the Buffaloes during the 1959-61 seasons. During his senior year, he was captain of the 1961 team. Romig’s 67 jersey was retired at halftime of the spring game on May 11, 1963.
No. 11 – Bobby Anderson
Aug 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Detailed view of the helmet worn by Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) (not pictured) before the game against the North Dakota State Bison at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Anderson played running back for Colorado from 1967 to 1969. He was a dual-threat running back and quarterback when he led the Buffs in rushing and passing. After his senior season, he was a consensus first-team All-American. Anderson’s 11 jersey was retired at halftime of the spring game on May 9, 1970.
No. 19 – Rashaan Salaam
Jan 2, 1995; Tempe, AZ, USA; FILE PHOTO; Colorado Buffaloes running back Rashaan Salaam (19) during the game against Notre Dame in the 1995 Fiesta Bowl. Colorado defeated Notre Dame 41-24. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Salaam wore jersey No. 19 from 1993-94 during one of the best individual seasons in college football history. En route to the 1994 Heisman, Salaam rushed for a school-record 2,055 yards and became only the fourth college running back to run for more than 2,000 yards in a season. He also amassed 24 touchdowns and helped lead Colorado to an 11–1 record. Salaam’s jersey retirement was announced before the 2017 season and went into effect after that season, being honored at halftime of the CU-California game on October 28, 2017.
No. 2 – Shedeur Sanders
Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of the jersey of Colorado Buffalos quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Sanders finished his career at Colorado, setting over 100 school records. As one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in college football, he completed 1,267-of-1,808 (70.1%) for 14,353 yards with 134 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He threw a touchdown in an NCAA Division I record 49 straight games and is only one of two D1 quarterbacks to throw for 14,000 yards and complete 70 percent of his career passes. Sanders won the Johnny Unitas Award as the top quarterback in college football in 2024 and was named first-team All-American by multiple publications and second-team by the AP.
No. 12 – Travis Hunter
Sep 9, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Travis Hunter (12) reacts after a turnover against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the first quarter at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Hunter became one of the most honored players in college football history last year. He was named the consensus national player of the year after winning the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award, and both the AP and Sporting News Player of the Year honors. He was also the Biletnikoff and Bednarik Award winner. He finished his final season at Colorado with 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, setting new CU records for receiving touchdowns. On defense, he had 36 tackles, four interceptions and 11 pass breakups while leading the FBS with 1,483 snaps.
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado football retired numbers before Shedeur Sanders
