Deion Sanders delivers heartbreaking eulogy for Colorado player who died tragically at 23

Colorado Buffaloes caput manager Deion Sanders gave an affectional eulogy astatine the ceremonial of his sophomore backmost Dominiq Ponder, who died successful a tragic car clang this past week. Ponder was 23. 

Sanders went up to the microphone aft Ponder’s family, saying it "didn’t consciousness right" to bash so, but helium couldn’t assistance feeling "inspired" by their words.

Then, Sanders, a spiritual antheral successful his ain right, began to speak. 

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Bethune-Cookman QB Dominiq Ponder takes a drawback during the Wildcats' outpouring crippled Saturday, April 22, 2023, astatine Daytona Stadium. (IMAGN)

"We ever inquire questions astir wherefore this happened … ’God, wherefore this and wherefore that?’" Sanders said. 

"When we’re successful, we’re excelling, and overcoming adversity, we ne'er inquire God, ‘Why?’ then. Only successful our demise and sadness of life, we situation and inquire God,’ Why?’ I deliberation I’ve got the solution."

Sanders, then, started to talk astir his erstwhile awesome caller. 

"As I look close there, and look astatine a young antheral truthful afloat of beingness – truthful afloat of respect, bustle, hard work, and integrity. I inquire God, ‘For real?’ And helium whispered: ‘Dom was chosen.’

"Dom was chosen to unite y’all, to bring you each together. Dom was chosen."

"Coach Prime" directed portion of his eulogy to Ponder’s parents, which led to him getting understandably choked up astatine the podium. 

"The lone darn happening I person regret for is that erstwhile you sent america a boy. I wanted to nonstop you backmost a man," Sanders said, taking a intermission to effort and power his emotions. 

Ponder had been a walk-on backmost with the Buffaloes successful Sanders’ archetypal season, arsenic helium tried to configure his team. He already had his son, Cleveland Browns backmost Shedeur Sanders, acceptable to commencement for Colorado aft their occurrence astatine Jackson State. But Ponder and others successful the backmost country were looking to enactment and make nether the elder Sanders’ tutelage. 

Colorado caput manager Deion Sanders watches his players lukewarm up earlier an NCAA assemblage shot crippled against Utah, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, successful Salt Lake City, Utah.  (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)

Ponder saw appearances successful 2 of the Buffaloes’ games past season. 

But portion Sanders has a regret astir Ponder, his parents gave him praise, issuing a connection thanking "Coach Prime" for his "unwavering generosity, support, and emotion shown to our family." They besides thanked everyone for their "heartfelt gratitude" successful a abstracted statement.

Sanders called an exigency gathering with his Buffaloes roster aft learning of Ponder’s death, and a earthy country shared connected societal media showed him comforting affectional players. Sanders himself was affectional portion delivering a code to his team. 

"His character, humor, enactment ethic, and tenacity. It’s thing that I privation america to remember," helium said successful the clip. 

Colorado caput manager Deion Sanders watches his squad lukewarm up earlier an NCAA assemblage shot crippled against TCU Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, successful Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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Sanders besides confirmed Ponder’s decease past Sunday with a societal media post. 

"God delight comfortableness the Ponder family, friends and loved ones," Sanders wrote on societal media. "Dom was 1 of my favorites! He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let’s commune for each that knew him & had the accidental to beryllium successful his presence. Lord you’re receiving a bully 1. Comfort america Lord Comfort us."

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