Colorado Buffaloes star Travis Hunter was on the end of a vicious hit from Colorado State defensive back Henry Blackburn last Saturday, and thankfully, he's going to be okay.
Hunter was transported to a hospital after a defenseless hit by Blackburn in the first quarter of the 43-35 double-overtime win against the Rams. Blackburn only received an unnecessary roughness penalty and was not ejected for the hit, much to the dismay of those watching the game.
Hunter, the Buffaloes' versatile defensive back and wide receiver, will miss three weeks of action due to a lacerated liver. He recently set up a livestream to provide an update on his health and may have gained even more fans based on what he said of the hit.
Hunter told his streamers, "It's football at the end of the day. Stuff like that is going to happen, so I just stay humble. [Blackburn] did what he was supposed to do. It's football. Something bad is going to happen on the field sooner or later. You've just gotta get up and fight again. That's what I try to do, get up and fight."
Colorado's Travis Hunter on Henry Blackburn's late hit: 'It's football'
Hunter gave a shout-out to the doctors who treated him at the local hospital and prevented him from returning to game and potentially exacerbating his injury. The two-way star and Heisman contender ended his livestream on a grateful note, thanking everybody who helped him in the wake of the vicious hit.
Rather than play the blame game, Hunter took the highest of the high roads and basically called his injury an occupational hazard. Hunter acknowledged that Henry Blackburn, the Colorado State defender who rammed into him, "did what he was supposed to do" in that moment, even if he did it much too roughly.
After the game, Blackburn has received hateful messages on social media and even death threats to his family. Hunter's words should calm down the mob a bit and remind people that it was just a football game. Other than an unfortunate liver injury, Hunter is going to be okay, and with his winning mentality, he's going to come back better and stronger than ever.
The Buffaloes face a difficult road ahead without Hunter in the lineup as they travel to No. 10 Oregon this weekend and then host No. 5 USC after that. Colorado may not emerge victorious from those tough fixtures but, in the inspiring words of Travis Hunter, the team at least has to "get up and fight."
