The retirement of Shedeur Sanders\u2019 No. 2 jersey was meant to be a celebratory moment for Colorado. Instead, it continues to be a point of contention between two sections of the Buffs support system. Now one of the program\u2019s most decorated former players is speaking out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Former Colorado tight end Christian Fauria, a national champion and three-time All-Big Eight selection, said he \u201ctapped out\u201d on supporting his alma mater after the school retired Sanders\u2019 number last\u00a0year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want Colorado to fail \u2014 I want them to succeed!\u201d Fauria said in an email to USA TODAY Sports<\/a>. \u201cBut I find the head coach\u2019s priorities off-putting. I officially tapped out \u2026 when athletic director Rick George allowed the University of Colorado to retire Shedeur Sanders\u2019 No. 2 jersey.\u201d<\/p>\n The son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders led the Buffaloes for two seasons and helped lead a 9-4 campaign in 2024. His contributions ended with an Alamo Bowl blowout to BYU that year. Shedeur Sanders chose not to participate in any All-Star Bowl games, the NFL Combine and only threw at CU’s Pro Day.\u00a0<\/p>\n He finished his college career between Colorado and Jackson State with 14,327 passing yards, 134 touchdowns and 27 interceptions, while setting an FBS record with a 70.1% completion percentage.<\/p>\n Fauria called the jersey retirement \u201ca vanity project driven by his father,\u201d adding that criticism of Deion Sanders is often dismissed as hate.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat I find comical is that any criticism \u2026 gets labeled as \u2018hate,\u2019\u201d Fauria said.<\/p>\n