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Deion Sanders Vows to Fund Education of Colorado RB Retiring After Career-Ending Concussion

Reese Patanjo
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Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field.

Fresh off beating cancer, Deion Sanders continues to be a source of inspiration. Because when one of his Colorado players announced an early retirement this morning, Coach Prime made sure he’d still be taken care of, financially and beyond. It was a touching gesture that showed just how deeply he cares about the young men he leads.

We’re talking about Charlie Offerdahl, who’s a running back heading into his senior year at Colorado. He’s one of the oldest and most respected players on the team. At various points throughout his career, Offerdahl served as one of the Buffaloes’ lead backs. But now, he’s deciding to hang up the cleats due to a health issue.

That issue stems from his most recent concussion. He gave a heartfelt speech to the team and revealed that he will now pursue dental studies, bidding goodbye to football for good. During the speech, Offerdahl was noticeably choked up.

But the most emotional moment came right after, when Sanders stepped in. He revealed he would make sure Offerdahl’s dental school fees are fully covered.

“There’s somebody out there that’s in control of a dental school. I wanna make sure we take care of him. Does that cost? Dental school?” Sanders asked.

“Oh, it’s quite a bit, coach,” Offerdahl responded.

“We gonna get somebody out there to bless you. I know you’re stepping away, but we’re going to make sure you continue that scholarship. Pay for everything for him, because I love him, and he deserves it,” Sanders said.

It’s a super nice thing for Coach Prime to announce. The cost of dental school tuition in America can range anywhere from $200k to $400k. When accounting for living expenses as well, the total cost could exceed $500k when it’s all said and done. So, it’s very nice of Sanders to cover all of the expenses. That’s what a person with a $60 million net worth can, and should, do: change lives.

Offerdahl is a good human, too. Colorado would be lucky to have a full team of players just like him. He’s a humble, hard worker who never complained when times were tough. He would simply put his head down and focus on getting back to work. He’s more than earned the support Sanders is giving him.

Post Edited By:Samnur Reza

About the author

Reese Patanjo

Reese Patanjo

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Reese is an NFL Journalist for The SportsRush. He was a University of Oregon graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in writing and communications. A fan of the NFL since he was young, Reese is a Dallas Cowboys fan at heart. However, his favorite NFL moment was the 54-51 Monday night game between the Rams and Chiefs in 2018. Reese's favorite player changes with time but currently he reps Trevon Diggs and CeeDee Lamb jerseys. When he isn't watching the NFL, you can find Reese engulfed in any of the other major sports. He's a massive MLB fan, go Red Sox. He also loves the NBA and College Basketball. But pretty much any sport, Soccer, NHL, PGA,- you name it, Reese watches.

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