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Heisman Winner Travis Hunter Donates NIL Money to Colorado Teammates

According to Deion Sanders Jr., Hunter supports 10-15 Buffalo teammates with NIL donations

Michael Ehrlich

Dec 14, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter after winning the 2024 Heisman Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Todd Van Emst/Heisman Trust via Imagn Images
Dec 14, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter after winning the 2024 Heisman Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Todd Van Emst/Heisman Trust via Imagn Images / Todd Van Emst/Heisman Trust via Imagn Images
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Fresh off a whirlwind weekend in New York City taking home the 2024 Heisman Trophy, star wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter returned to practice on Monday with his Colorado teammates to prepare for their December 28 date against BYU in the Alamo Bowl. After earning AP Player of the Year, Walter Camp Player of the Year, Chuck Bednarik Award, Biletnikoff Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy and Paul Hornung Award honors, Hunter easily could have declared for the 2025 NFL Draft instead of playing in a non-College Football Playoff bowl game.

According to team videographer - and Coach Prime's son - Deion Sanders Jr., the team-mentality that Hunter showcases doesn't end on the field. In a conversation on the Zero 2 Sixty podcast, Sander Jr. revealed that the All-American two-way superstar - and one of the top NIL earners in college sports - doesn't take money from the school's collective, instead donates his own money to other players on the team.

"Did you know he receives no NIL (money) from the collective?" Sanders Jr. shared with Zero 2 Sixty podcast host Matt McChesney, a former Colorado offensive lineman. "He's one of the biggest donors to the collective, meaning he's paying a lot of others' NIL on this team. He's paying at least 10-15 guys' NIL on the team. He's donating his own money."

His selflessness and generosity were further on display during the Heisman weekend, where he flew out teammates and staff members to New York to take part in the festivities.

Hunter - who signed with adidas last week - counts the likes of United Airlines, EA Sports, JLab, Celsius, NerdWallet, Leaf Trading Cards and Rock 'Em Socks, among his many NIL partners.

Expected to be one of the top selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, Hunter plans to finish out his Colorado career at the Alamo Bowl in a highly-anticipated matchup against fellow Big 12 team BYU.

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Michael Ehrlich
MICHAEL EHRLICH

Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com

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