Colorado State defensive back Henry Blackburn and his family have received death threats this week after Blackburn put a late hit on star Colorado receiver Travis Hunter during Saturday's matchup.
“We’re very concerned about our player’s safety, as Henry and his family have continued to receive these threats,” Parker told ESPN's Pete Thamel. “Henry never intended to put anyone in harm’s way on the football field. It’s not what we teach or coach. We hope that the irrational vitriol directed at Henry stops immediately.”
Parker said that Colorado State police is working with local authorities to look into the threats, which have included the posting of Blackburn's family's phone numbers to social media.
"They’ve been inundated with threatening calls and text messages. Henry’s campus address and his family’s home address were also published," Thamel wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Spoke to Colorado State athletic director Joe Parker about the harassment of defensive back Henry Blackburn, who delivered a controversial late hit on Colorado’s Travis Hunter on Saturday. 1/5
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 18, 2023
Rams head coach Jay Norvell addressed the threats at a Monday press conference.
“Our university is supporting him. The police department is supporting him, because of the seriousness of the threats that have come out of this,” Norvell said via The Denver Post. “It’s just sad. It’s sad that that’s the state of the world we live in. I mean, it’s a football game. Let’s not make it more than that. We don’t want anybody to get hurt. We don’t coach that kind of football.”
Blackburn will not be suspended for the hit, but Hunter is expected to but out for at least three weeks following the Buffaloes' 43-35 double-overtime win in the rivalry game.
