"Huge fan of that young man": Richard Sherman and Travis Hunter clear the air between them, thanks to Deion Sanders

A rift between Richard Sherman and Travis Hunter intensified over the past week. Sherman questioned Hunter's ability to play two-way football in the NFL. His assessment didn't sit well with the Colorado standout, sparking online friction between the two.

However, Deion Sanders calmed the situation. The Colorado coach scheduled a phone call to resolve matters. Sherman confirmed this in a social media post on Thursday.

“Just had a great conversation with @TravisHunterJr (Travis Hunter). Preciate you @DeionSanders (Deion Sanders) for setting that up. Huge fan of that young man and grateful to be able to clear that up.”

Travis Hunter accepts Richard Sherman’s apology

The call initiated by Deion Sanders calmed the situation between Travis Hunter and Richard Sherman. In a social media video posted on Friday by Deion Sanders Jr., Hunter confirmed he spoke with Sherman and accepted his apology.

“He didn’t mean for it to go out that way, that type of no-negative energy. He told me that he watched me a lot. I grew up watching them. The 49ers were my favorite team when I was growing up so, that was low-key our rival, the Seahawks, him playing DB.

“I modeled my game after them when I was younger. So yeah, he was just telling me he apologizes. I accept the apology. It just kind of hurt me because I look up to him, so that’s pretty much what it was.”

Hunter has been fantastic for Colorado on both sides of the field this season. His performance for the Buffaloes has significantly increased his Heisman Trophy odds, priming him to be the first defensive player to claim the award since Charles Woodson.

What did Richard Sherman say about Travis Hunter?

Speaking on an episode of the St. Brown Podcast, Sherman expressed his concerns about Travis Hunter's stature being too small to play two-way football in the NFL. The Colorado star has succeeded on offense and defense in college, but the professional stage is entirely different.

“I think he goes as a corner just because receivers his size … he’s not a special size, super dynamic route runner. He’s a great athlete and he’s smooth so he can get it done.

“I’m sure if he focused on receiver, he could be elite. But as a corner, he looks natural. It’s back to catching a ball, and he’s always in position. He’s breaking right. He has a good feel for it. It’s so rare.”

The NFL has had a few two-way stars in the past, including Pro Football Hall of Famers Deion Sanders and Woodson. However, no one has succeeded in playing on both sides of the ball in the past decade.