Utah Renames Spring Game After Players Shot And Killed

Utah's spring game will be known as the 22 Forever Game going forward.

The Utes announced the name change Wednesday in honor of former players Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe.

Both wore the number 22 for the Utes, and both were killed in shootings.

Ty Jordan died in an accidental shooting. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)

"22 Forever means that we let Ty and Aaron’s legacy live on by how we live our lives. It means that we don’t take this life we have for granted. It is beyond football. It is about family and being there for the ones we love. 22-percent is also a commitment to being that much better in everything we are a part of. It is about showing gratitude in the way that we work," linebacker Karene Reid explained.

Utah also already honors the pair with the Moment of Loudness between the third and fourth quarters. The crowd is encouraged to cheer for those who are no longer there.

This is a classy move from Utah.

The deaths of Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe were both incredibly tragic and not very far apart. It was an incredibly sad time for the Utes community.

Jordan passed away after accidentally shooting himself in December 2020. Less than a year later, Lowe was shot and killed during a late September 2021 party in Salt Lake City.

Utah names its spring game the 22 Forever Game. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)

Lowe switched his jersey number to 22 to honor Jordan, according to ESPN. The duo also played high school football together in Texas.

Now, the two will be remembered every spring by the Utah Utes when the team and fans get together for the spring game.

Utah football players Aaron Lowe and Ty Jordan were both killed in shootings. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

This is a reminder college sports are about a lot more than the final score. Utah lost two players in a very short period of time in tragic fashion. Now, the university will carry on their legacies going forward. It's a very classy and awesome gesture from the Utes.