Travis Hunter Breaks Down in Tears Speaking About Father During Heisman Acceptance Speech: ‘I Did It For You, Man’

Mar. 15, 2025

Travis Hunter on Dec. 14, 2024.Photo:John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock

John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock

Travis Hunteris feeling grateful after winning the Heisman Trophy.

The Colorado wide receiver and cornerback won the prestigious award, given to the top player in college football every year, on Saturday, Dec. 14, during the Heisman ceremony at the Lincoln Center in New York City.

The football star, 21, thanked friends, teammates, coaches and family during his acceptance speech, but he got particularly emotional while shouting out his father, Travis Hunter Sr.

“I know you wanted to be here and you can’t, but trust me, I got you,” he concluded. ”I’m bringing the trophy home. I love you.“

Travis Sr. opted to stay home so his mom — Travis Jr.’s grandmother Shirley Hunter — could attend instead, according toThe Palm Beach Post.

“He could have went. He just wanted me to go in his place because I hadn’t been (to New York) and he wanted me to go instead of himself," she told the outlet after the Heisman ceremony.

Travis Jr. also gave a shout-out to his grandma during his speech.

“My grandma, you’re the person that got me to start playing football. That means so much to me,” he began. “You seen the vision before I even seen the vision. At 4 years old, you told me to put on some pads, go outside and play with your cousins.”

“Y’all see how small I am. Just imagine me at 4 years old trying to put on shoulder pads,” he continued, inciting laughs. “It’s crazy. I thank you. I know you’re up there crying. I rarely talk to you, but I am telling you right now, I love you. Thank you for everything you have done.”

Travis Sr. toldThe Palm Beach Postthat although he’d miss this ceremony, he plans on attending his son’s other life moments: “I want to be there when he gets married and when he gets drafted,” he said.

Travis Hunter holds the Heisman Trophy on Dec. 14, 2024.Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty

Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty

PerSports Illustrated, Travis Jr. is the second Buffaloes player in school history to win the Heisman Trophy, joining running back Rashaan Salaam, who won in 1994. Travis Jr. won the Heisman over Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Miami quarterback Cam Ward, and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty for the honor.

This season, the Colorado wide receiver caught 92 passes for 14 touchdowns and 1,152 yards; each of those first two figures led the Big 12. He also intercepted four passes and broke up 11, with the latter figure also leading his conference.

His efforts also helped Colorado finish 9-3 and reach the Alamo Bowl, and he became thefirst player in historyto win both the Bednarik Award as the nation’s best defensive player and the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s most outstanding receiver, perSports Illustrated.

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Earlier this year, theColorado football star gifted his mothera five-bedroom home in Savannah, Georgia, and posted a video of the elaborate surpriseon his YouTube channel.

In 2023, he also gave his then-girlfriendLeanna Leneea new Tesla — a surprise he documented on hisYouTube channel. This February, the pairannounced their engagement.

The couplerecently confirmed their wedding dateto be May 24, 2025.

source: people.com