Travis Hunter Made Sure The World Knew How Much His Father Meant To Him During Heisman Trophy Journey

Travis Hunter stood on a stage Saturday night in New York City and raised the Heisman Trophy in what was a monumental occasion in college football, as he became just the second two-way player to ever win the coveted award. 

After putting together enough highlights to cover an entire career in the 2024 season alone, the Colorado DB/WR was full of emotions as he heard his name called in front of his family, friends and head coach Deion Sanders. 

While the argument over Hunter or Boise State's Ashton Jeanty winning the award was highlighted in the final vote total released following the announcement, we knew it would be an emotional moment for whoever hoisted the trophy. 
 

BOULDER, Colo. - Travis Hunter of the Colorado Buffaloes celebrates scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the North Dakota State Bison at Folsom Field on August 29, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

But the special bond between Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and Travis Hunter was clearly evident as the Heisman winner fell into the arms of ‘Coach Prime’ following an embrace with his mother. We've all heard the stories of their relationship, as Hunter often described Sanders as much more than a father figure to him, which we've heard many times during his time at Jackson State and Colorado. 

And while Deion Sanders will always hold a special place in the heart of Travis Hunter, there was a moment during his acceptance speech on Saturday night where the Heisman winner made sure that his biological father, the man that raised him and sacrificed so much for him, was honored for everything he did for his son to get him onto that stage. 

Travis Hunter Dedicates Heisman Trophy To His Father

While the reasoning behind Travis Hunter Sr. not being at the ceremony on Saturday night was not made clear, his son made sure he knew how much his father meant to him during that special moment. This part of his acceptance speech will be remembered for a long time, as it had folks on social media reacting to the words spoken by the Colorado superstar. 

‘I wanna say something to my father, he's not here, not able to make it, but I know you’re watching on TV. Dad, I love you," Travis Hunter said while crying. "For all the stuff you went through, man. Now look at your oldest son. I did this for you man. All the times you didn’t get to see me, from the times you came to see my games. From not seeing probably two games in high school, to seeing me on TV every weekend and coming to see me, man. That means so much to me. 

"I know you wanted to be here, but can’t. But trust me, I got you and I'm bringing this trophy home. I love you."

The moment was obviously special for Travis Hunter, who also had a number of teammates fly to New York City to be around him for a post-Heisman party to celebrate. There was also another fantastic moment that caught him by surprise, as ESPN showed a viewing party at his Collins Hill High School, where Hunter started his journey to becoming a superstar on the field. 

All of this was part of a special night for a tremendous athlete who has brought even more notoriety to the Colorado football program. 

Now, Travis Hunter will prepare with his teammates for the upcoming bowl game, not opting out like some athletes have done in the past to prevent an injury before an NFL career. 

Tonight, the Colorado two-way star will go down as one of the best to ever play college football.