Tragic Passing of Colorado Buffaloes Quarterback Dominic Ponder

This weekend, Colorado Buffaloes’ quarterback, Dominic Ponder, sadly passed away, as confirmed by the team’s head coach, Deion Sanders, on social media Sunday.

In his heartfelt post, Sanders expressed, “God, please comfort Mr. Ponder’s family, friends and loved ones. Dom was one of my favorites! He was loved, respected, and a natural leader. Let us pray for all who knew him and had the opportunity to stand in his presence. Lord, you are receiving good things. Lord, comfort us, Lord, comfort us.”

Ponder was just 23 years old, and the circumstances surrounding his death are still unknown.

Previously a 6-foot-5, 200-pound athlete, Ponder played at Bethune-Cookman before joining the Buffaloes as part of their “Coach Prime” program in 2024. He participated in only two games last season, mainly serving as a backup, where he made two rushing attempts along with one passing attempt.

Colton Allen, another quarterback on the team, shared a touching tribute for Ponder on Instagram, stating, “Dom, you were a blessing to so many. Your presence made everything better. You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I am grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, and every conversation we shared. I will carry them with me for the rest of my life.”

As spring practice at the University of Colorado is set to kick off on Monday, it’s unclear if the sessions will be postponed in light of Ponder’s passing. Tributes and condolences have also been sent from the University of Central Florida.

Another post from a college football account reflected, “Our prayers are with Dominik and the Ponder family, as well as everyone involved in the Colorado football program.”