How Shedeur Sanders Narrowly Avoided a Potentially Career-Altering Injury
Football is a game of inches, and a few of them made all the difference for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders against Kansas on Saturday night.
Even with a disappointing upset loss to the unranked Jayhawks, things could have been much worse for Sanders and the Buffs.
With three minutes left in the second quarter, Sanders was drifting forward and to his left while looking downfield for a receiver, and let the ball go just before Kansas defensive end Dean Miller came flying in to make a hit.
Miller dove head-first into Sanders' knees, flipping the quarterback upside-down:
Right away, it looked like Sanders might have suffered a serious knee injury, but he was thankfully able to return to the game.
Upon closer inspection, a combination of timing and perhaps just enough awareness and athleticism saved Sanders from what could have been a potentially career-altering situation.
Just before Miller made contact with his knee, Sanders lifted his left foot off the ground and turned his body ever so slightly to brace for the contact. This slight combination of movements made it easier for Sanders' body to flip head-over-heels, but it also meant that both of his feet were off the ground prior to the contact with his knees.
Had his feet been firmly planted in the ground at the time of contact, it's not hard to imagine what would have happened to any or all of the ligaments in Sanders' knee.
Arguably the top quarterback prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft class, Sanders' draft stock likely would have been significantly impacted by a severe knee injury this late in the season. That scenario would have prevented him from taking part in predraft workouts and the NFL Scouting Combine, and his rehab and recovery could easily have impacted his availability for the start of his first NFL season.
Those factors can influence whether or not NFL teams are willing to invest a first-round pick in a potential franchise quarterback, especially if they're picking anywhere in the top 5-10 spots. There's no guarantee that Sanders would have been able to play at the same level after recovering from that kind of injury, either.
The Buffs and their fans are certainly disappointed with Saturday's result as they continue their chase for a potential Big 12 title and a spot in the College Football Playoff, but things could have been much worse Saturday night had they lost their star quarterback to such a devastating injury.
Instead, Sanders will have the opportunity to regroup and lead Colorado the rest of the way, and hopefully head into the predraft process with a clean bill of health.
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