Dominiq Ponder was just one of Deion Sanders’ “Florida boys” trying to fit into a cold-weather program thousands of miles from home. Still, the 6’5, 200-pound QB from Opa-locka didn’t mind being fourth-string and carried himself as if he belonged. He came to Colorado as a non-scholarship player with just a locker and a chance. And now, that locker has been hit with a tragedy.

Dominiq Ponder has passed away at the age of 23, as reported by Brian Howell of BuffZone and the Boulder Daily Camera. The QB reportedly passed away in a single-car accident. Authorities in Boulder and campus police provided no additional information. It happened just one day before Colorado was set to open spring practice on March 2. And now the program is rocked by grief. Deion Sanders confirmed the news himself on X with a heartfelt message.

“God please comfort the Ponder family, friends & Loved ones,” he wrote. “Dom was one of my favorites! He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let’s pray for all that knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord you’re receiving a good 1. Comfort us Lord Comfort us.”

Deion Sanders has coached stars and pros, but Dominiq Ponder was a locker room presence. He played his high school ball at Carol City High in Florida and also spent time at Naples High. Ponder eventually landed at Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach before transferring to Colorado. He was a dual-threat QB with big plans and an intended major in criminology.

For a walk-on quarterback to earn Coach Prime’s praise as a “born leader” speaks volumes, proving that, beneath the glitz of Boulder, gritty and behind-the-scenes players still command the ultimate respect.

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The heartbreaking part is that Dominiq Ponder was still building his story. He was an unrated recruit in the Rivals Industry Rankings but held a 3-star grade from 247Sports, ranked No. 164 among QBs in his class and No. 280 overall in the state of Florida. He was chasing reps and started his college career at Bethune-Cookman, redshirting his first year without seeing game action. 

When Ponder transferred to Colorado for the 2024 season, he didn’t see the field that year either. In 2025, he finally got his chance and appeared in two games. He made his collegiate debut in a home contest against Arizona, playing the final three snaps and going 0-for-1 passing. He had two carries for -4 yards. The following week, he logged three snaps on the kickoff unit against West Virginia. It may be a tough journey, but he earned those snaps, and with that, the trust and respect of his teammates, who are now left hurting. 

Deion Sanders’ player pays tribute to Dominiq Ponder 

Colorado backup QB Colton Allen shared his grief publicly the day before spring practice.

“Dom, you were a blessing to so many people,” he wrote on Instagram. “You had a presence about you that just made everything better. You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I’m grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, every conversation we got to share. I’ll carry those with me for the rest of my life. What happened feels so final. It feels heavy. It hurts.”

Similarly, Ryan Staub also reacted to the tragic news regarding his former teammate, noting how they constantly kept each other in line.

“At a complete loss for words rn. Life isn’t fair, and this doesn’t feel real. You were always a pleasure to be around. We motivated each other and kept each other in check. Love you forever and gone way too soon. Fly high, Dom,” Staub stated on social media.

It hurts to know that he was with them on the field this offseason, sharing reps and jokes, never knowing he would never live to be part of spring practice. Colorado opens spring drills Monday and will wrap the 15-practice slate with the Black & Gold Game on April 11. But that doesn’t feel urgent right now because Deion Sanders’ team is grieving a 23-year-old teammate who showed up every day ready to work.

The Black & Gold Game will be played, and the season will move forward. But there will be an empty spot where Dominiq Ponder once stood. RIP Dom.