In most cases, one play should not define a career.
In the case of Colorado State safety Henry Blackburn, he’s still trying to shake one play that has continued to follow him as he tries to make an NFL roster.
The Denver Broncos are bringing in the Boulder, Colorado, native and 2-time All-Mountain West Conference pick for rookie minicamp in the hopes he can show enough to earn a training camp invite and, in the process, possibly shake off his reputation as a “dirty” player that’s followed him the last 2 years.
“Colorado State safety Henry Blackburn is one of the most recognizable faces invited — a longtime leader in the Rams’ secondary and prolific tackler,” The Denver Post’s Luca Evans wrote on May 7. ” … After a tumultuous college career that included an infamous hit on CU’s Travis Hunter in the 2023 Rocky Mountain Showdown — and subsequent peacemaking — Blackburn will have an opportunity to continue a Colorado journey that began at Boulder’s Fairview High.”
It’s that hit on Hunter — one of the dirtiest plays you could make — that still follows Blackburn around. It also impacted his life in some pretty profound ways.
From KDVR.com: “A day and a half after the Colorado Buffaloes beat the Colorado State Rams in overtime, CSU staff said one of its players has been receiving death threats. The CSU Athletic Department said defensive back Henry Blackburn and his family have been the target of threats on social media. Additionally, their phone numbers and addresses were published online before the game was over.”
