Deion Sanders: Record amount of insurance coverage obtained to protect top players in bowl

The University of Colorado has arranged to obtain a record amount of insurance coverage for Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders to protect them in case they are injured in the Alamo Bowl against BYU Saturday during their final college game.

Colorado coach Deion Sanders announced it Monday after arriving with his team in San Antonio for the Dec. 28 bowl game.

“We happen to have two players that are probably gonna be the first two picks of the NFL draft,” Deion  Sanders said. “I think we all know who those two are, and they have received I think the highest number of coverage that has ever been covered in college football.”

“That’s correct,” said Colorado athletic director Rick George, who worked with Sanders to get the coverage.

“It far exceeds anyone (who) has ever played this game of college football,” Sanders said.

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How big are these policies for Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders?

USA TODAY Sports asked about that Monday but was told on Tuesday that the university couldn't reveal some details because of privacy laws. The Colorado athletic department said it worked with multiple insurance providers to offer disability insurance for the entire team at the Alamo Bowl.

"For those players who qualify, CU Athletics paid the premium to ensure that the entire roster can play in the game and not feel they have to opt out," said a statement from CU spokesman Steve Hurlbert. "This arrangement is unique to bowl games with the exception of the College Football Playoff games. We felt like this was an additional way we could support our student-athletes so they can finish this incredible season together as a complete team."

Whose idea was it to cover Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders?

George said it was Deion Sanders’ idea. He wanted his top players to play in the bowl game instead of opting out of it, as many top NFL prospects do to avoid any injury risk that court hurt their future earnings potential in a postseason bowl game. For example, Michigan has several top players who have opted not to play in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama in Tampa Dec. 31.

“It was his idea that we should get disability insurance for our student athletes for this game to ensure that they play and if there was some kind of injury, that they’d be well taken care of,” George said. “So we worked together on that. We’re excited about it. We think it’s great that all of our players are playing in the game. That’s what all bowl games should be like.”

Sanders thanked the CU administration, as well as George “for putting his money where his mouth is.”

Sanders noted the players had insurance coverage "all season long." In this case, for the bowl game, he said they wanted to "ensure that if something were to happen, that they would be covered."

George credited Sanders.

"It's a testament to him getting out there in front of his guys and saying, `You know, we want you to play,’ and we did this because we want to make sure that these guys are covered,” George said. “We’re excited about, and it’s gonna be one heck of a game. And you’re gonna see everybody on our roster.”

That includes Hunter, whose injury risk is higher as a two-way player who seldom leaves the field. He has one season of college eligibility remaining but said he will join the NFL next year instead. Shedeur Sanders, Deion's son, has no more college eligibility left after Saturday and is expected to be a top pick in the NFL draft in April, along with Hunter.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deion Sanders says `highest ever' insurance to protect players in bowl