A Colorado State University football player has received death threats, having his phone number and address posted online. In Colorado State University’s (CSU) football game against University of Colorado Boulder (CU), number 11 defensive back, Henry Blackburn, hit CU’s Travis Hunter a short time after the play ended.

Hunter got up and played the next down, after which he was removed from the game due to his pain. He was later sent to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a lacerated liver. This injury has left him out of the fight for a few games, but he will be back. 

Senior Ridge Kayser said, “I don’t think it was a dirty play. Blackburn couldn’t see the ball, and he was just trying to make a play. It was just an unfortunate situation.”

Hunter is in the running for the Heisman trophy, and he has amassed quite a large fan base at CU. Due to his status, many of his fans decided to take action against Blackburn. Before the game had ended, Blackburn’s campus address, family home address, phone number, and mother’s phone number were posted on social media. Additionally, many fans made threats to his life and called for violence against Blackburn for his seemingly dirty play. 

In a livestream, Hunter later stated that there wasn’t any bad blood between him and Blackburn. He says that the two were just playing football, and he acknowledged that it happens sometimes. 

Senior Alex Loyd said, “Going into a rival game, there are going to be some cheap shots and trash talk. That’s football. Blackburn was just doing his job.”

Coach Deion Sanders of CU Boulder said, “Henry Blackburn is a good player who played a phenomenal game… This is a still young man trying to make it in life … He does not deserve a death threat over a game.”

Although it was a late hit, it was immediately after the play ended and was likely an accident, so Hunter and Sanders have forgiven Blackburn for the hit. Hunter’s unfortunate injury will leave him out of a few games, but he will be back with a vengeance.