Colorado Quarterback Dominiq Ponder Dies at 23

Deion Sanders mourns loss of one of his 'favorites' on the team

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Dominiq Ponder, who was set to be part of Deion Sanders' program this spring, died over the weekend at the age of 23. Sanders expressed his grief on social media, calling Ponder 'one of my favorites' who was 'Loved, Respected & a Born Leader'.

Why it matters

Ponder's death is a tragic loss for the Colorado football program and the wider college sports community. As a young player with promise, his passing will be deeply felt by his teammates, coaches, and fans.

The details

Details surrounding Ponder's death are not yet known. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound quarterback joined the Buffaloes in 2024 after playing at Bethune-Cookman. Last season, he played in two games as a backup, recording two rush attempts and one pass attempt. Ponder was set to participate in Colorado's spring practices starting this week.

  • Ponder died over the weekend of March 1-2, 2026.
  • Colorado's spring practices were set to begin on Monday, March 3, 2026.

The players

Deion Sanders

The head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes football team, who expressed grief over Ponder's passing and called him 'one of my favorites'.

Dominiq Ponder

The 23-year-old Colorado Buffaloes quarterback who passed away over the weekend.

Colton Allen

A fellow quarterback on the Colorado Buffaloes team, who paid tribute to Ponder on Instagram.

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What they’re saying

“God please comfort the Ponder family, friends and loved ones. Dom was one of my favorites! He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let's pray for all that knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord you're receiving a good 1. Comfort us Lord Comfort us.”

— Deion Sanders, Head Coach, Colorado Buffaloes (Social Media)

“Dom, you were a blessing to so many people. You had a presence about you that just made everything better. You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I'm grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, every conversation we got to share. I'll carry those with me for the rest of my life.”

— Colton Allen, Quarterback, Colorado Buffaloes (Instagram)

What’s next

It's unknown if Deion Sanders will postpone the start of Colorado's spring practices due to Ponder's passing.

The takeaway

Dominiq Ponder's tragic death at just 23 years old is a devastating loss for the Colorado football program and the wider college sports community. His coaches and teammates have expressed deep grief over the passing of a player they described as 'loved', 'respected', and a 'born leader', highlighting the immense impact he had on those around him.