Colorado football and Deion Sanders were struck by devastating news on Sunday, as Buffaloes quarterback Dominiq Ponder tragically lost his life. The 23-year-old’s sudden passing has left the team, fans, and the entire college football community in shock and mourning.
Deion Sanders Leads First Spring Practice After Dominiq Ponder’s Death
The heartbreaking news of Ponders’ death arrived just a day before Colorado’s spring practice was set to begin. While the Buffaloes community is mourning the loss, Coach Prime decided to go ahead with practice on Monday, according to Colorado insider Christopher Neely.
“As you can imagine, the team is in a somber mood, the coaching staff as well,” Neely said via “Thee Pregame Show” on Sunday. “But when Coach Prime put it to the team just a few hours ago, like, ‘What do y’all want to do tomorrow? Do y’all want to take the day off? Do y’all want to practice?’ And it was unanimous that Dom would want us to practice, and he and Dom knows what our goals are this season, and he wouldn’t want us to take the first day off, even if it was to honor him. So the team is going to practice tomorrow.”
Ponder died in a car accident around 3 a.m. on Sunday in Boulder County. The Colorado State Patrol reported that he was driving a 2023 Tesla Model 3 when he lost control on a curve.
The vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic, struck a guardrail, and an electrical pole. It then rolled down an embankment before catching fire, and Ponder was pronounced dead at the scene.
MORE: Cam Newton Calls Out ‘Entitled’ Fans After Deion Sanders Sets Clear Limits
Though he had limited playing time on the field, Ponder had become a beloved figure among his teammates and fans, and Coach Prime immediately shared his grief over his tragic loss.
“God please comfort the Ponder family, friends & 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,” Sanders tweeted.
Colorado Athletics Director Fernando Lovo also released a statement expressing grief:
“The entire CU Athletics family is devastated at the tragic passing of Dominiq Ponder. He epitomized the values of passion, enthusiasm, leadership, toughness, and intelligence that were revered by his teammates and coaches alike. Our hearts go out to his family and all of his teammates during this difficult time.”
SEE ALSO: LSU Legend Blasts USC WR Makai Lemon Hype As He Calls for Major Draft Slide
Ponder played high school football at Carol City High School and Naples in Florida before attending Myrtle Beach Collegiate Academy in South Carolina. He was rated a three-star quarterback by 247Sports, ranking No. 164 nationally at his position.
Ponder, who was set to enter his junior year this upcoming season, spent two years at Colorado after transferring from Bethune-Cookman. After arriving in Boulder in 2024 as a walk-on and not seeing game action in his first season, Ponder made two appearances in 2025 for the Colorado offense, which finished the season ranked 80th (74.4 Impact score) in PFSN’s College Football Offense Impact Metric.
