“Deion Sanders Believed in Travis & Gave Him That Opportunity”: Kurt Warner Relates to Travis Hunter’s Journey Into Becoming a Heisman Winner

The Kurt Warner story is arguably the biggest Cinderella story in the NFL. After spending four years as an undrafted free agent, the QB was given a chance by the Rams. He had a remarkable career from there, winning the Super Bowl and two MVP awards — something that wouldn’t have happened if the Rams hadn’t given him the opportunity. According to the QB, he sees a similar parallel in Travis Hunter — whose success story was paved by Deion Sanders.

From the outside, it’s hard to spot similarities between Kurt’s and Travis’ success stories because, unlike the former quarterback, Hunter has never been short of suitors in his career. But in Kurt’s eyes, the similarity arose the moment Deion allowed Hunter to join his side at Jackson State.

Back in 2022, Travis, being a two-way player, was one of the hottest commodities to enter college football. Almost all major programs were behind his signature, but he stunned the football world by joining an FCS school — Jackson State, coached by Deion Sanders.

While many ridiculed the move back then, Kurt implied in his X post that if Deion hadn’t extended the opportunity to Travis to work with him, maybe things would have been different for Hunter today.

Logic dictates that Travis would have succeeded regardless of Coach Prime, but according to Kurt, it’s not guaranteed that talent will blossom without the right environment.

Kurt is a prime example of this thought — his talent was finally recognized when he was given the right environment to shine in St. Louis. The former NFL QB thus extended gratitude to everyone who has given opportunities to deserving individuals.

Warner was also delighted to see Hunter being grateful for Sanders’ presence during the award ceremony, as it showed that he himself understands the role of Sanders’ contributions in his growth.

“Well, if last night showed us anything, it showed us the power that others have in choosing to give us a chance! Deion believed in Travis & gave him that opportunity & look where it went & you could see how grateful he was for that!” a part of the tweet read.

Before Warner’s post, it would have been hard to imagine much similarity between his and Travis’ journey. A major reason for this has to be the world being enamored by Hunter’s sheer talent of being a two-way player.

While the Buffs star deserves all the love and attention for his talent, this might come at the cost of people forgetting the role of Deion Sanders in Hunter’s growth.

Kurt’s post is thus a fine reminder for all of us to express gratitude for those who played a part in the growth we have achieved in our lives. Gratitude, as they say, helps you see what’s there instead of what isn’t.