Honoring Rashaan Salaam: Colorado’s Last Heisman Winner as Travis Hunter Aims to Bring Home the Buffaloes' First Heisman Since 1994
Editor’s note: This article discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
Eight years after Rashaan Salaam tragically took his own life in Colorado, his girlfriend continues to feel the profound loss.
"Not a day goes by" without thinking of him, says Shelley Martin, Salaam's longtime girlfriend. But as the 30th anniversary of his Heisman Trophy win approaches, Martin hopes it will rekindle interest in his legacy, especially now with Travis Hunter on the brink of bringing home Colorado’s first Heisman since Salaam's victory as a junior running back on December 10, 1994.
“He was just a beautiful soul,” Martin said this week in an interview with USA TODAY Sports. “It’s important that people understand the realities of mental health and concussions. That’s something I saw firsthand.”
For Salaam's family and friends, this time of year is typically one of deep reflection. Salaam passed away on December 5, 2016, at the age of 42. The Heisman Trophy ceremony, which usually follows closely after his death, is a time when memories of him resurface. But this year feels even more personal. If Travis Hunter wins the Heisman on Saturday, Martin and others hope it will not only shine a light on Colorado's first Heisman winner but also bring greater awareness to suicide prevention and the kind of person Salaam truly was.
In many ways, Salaam resembled Hunter – a talented football player, a humble homebody with a bright smile, and someone who often redirected attention to his teammates rather than seeking the spotlight for himself.
“You might think you're having a rough day, and then you remember Rashaan and that smile of his,” said Derek West, Salaam’s former teammate at Colorado. “It’s always uplifting. It has a way of pulling you out of any funk. Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face.”
Two Heisman Trophies at Colorado, 30 years apart?
Every year, two Heisman Trophies are awarded: one to the player who wins the prestigious honor and another to their school. Colorado still proudly displays its 1994 Heisman Trophy in a hallway that Travis Hunter has walked down many times in the 30 years since.
On Saturday, Hunter is the favorite to bring another Heisman Trophy to Colorado, according to BetMGM.
"I don’t know as much as most people know about him," Hunter said Friday about Salaam. "But I know he got a trophy in there. That’s the only one. So I’m trying to make it another one."
Salaam won Colorado's first Heisman Trophy in commanding fashion, rushing for 2,055 yards and 24 touchdowns during a magical 11-1 season that saw the Buffaloes finish No. 3 in the nation. Yet, Salaam shied away from the spotlight, always crediting his offensive line for his success. Ten of the 11 starters on that CU offense were eventually drafted into the NFL, including Salaam, all five offensive linemen, quarterback Kordell Stewart, and receiver Michael Westbrook.
"He was the ultimate team guy, and I think we can all learn from that," said Derek West, one of Salaam's blockers on that offensive line. West also had the heartbreaking responsibility of helping carry Salaam's body to his grave in Boulder after his unexpected death.
"If Travis is fortunate enough to win the Heisman, and it brings more attention to Rashaan, the person he was, and helps raise awareness around suicide prevention, then that's a win all the way around," West added.
"He never wanted to be out front"
Kordell Stewart, Salaam’s quarterback at Colorado, emphasized the importance of remembering Salaam for who he was during his life, not just for his tragic death.
“He created so many great memories, so many moments that reflect the life he lived, that we can’t let that one moment—his tragic end—define how we remember him," Stewart told USA TODAY Sports this week. "He was a great guy. I loved him dearly.”
Stewart described Salaam as a “little brother” who motivated his teammates in a “quiet, humble way.”
By that, he meant:
"He never wanted to be in the spotlight," Stewart said. "He just wanted to be part of it.”
FROM 2017: Rashaan Salaam: A love story with a tragic ending
Salaam’s relationship with the Heisman was unique. Instead of letting it sit as a trophy of individual accomplishment, he gave it to his mother before eventually selling it. To Salaam, the Heisman wasn’t just a symbol of personal success—it was a token to be shared, one that didn't define him.
Not one for the spotlight, Salaam often referred to the Heisman as more of a burden than a blessing, describing it as 45 pounds of expectations he didn’t always want. Even before he won the prestigious award, he felt the weight of it. After securing the Heisman, Salaam gave it to his mother to keep in her San Diego home, alongside other trophies, including the Walter Camp and Doak Walker awards he earned in 1994 as the nation’s top player and best running back.
"He gave his trophies away, and he gave me the Heisman," his mother, Khalada, told USA TODAY Sports this week.
However, toward the end of his life, Salaam asked her to send the Heisman back to him in Colorado. She did, but shortly after his death, the trophy was said to have been “lost.” It wasn’t until January 2018 that it resurfaced at an auction, where it was sold for nearly $400,000.
‘Please reach out to somebody’
Despite his tragic death, Salaam’s story doesn’t have to end in sorrow. His memory lives on through the lessons he left behind, and his loved ones hope that by sharing his story, others will find the strength to reach out when they need help.
Before his death, Salaam had sold his Heisman Trophy, according to David Kohler, president of SCP Auctions in California. After Salaam passed, the trophy was consigned for auction, with some of the proceeds directed toward research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the brain disease linked to head trauma in football.
Salaam’s brother, Jabali Alaji, shared with USA TODAY Sports in 2016 that Salaam exhibited “all the symptoms” of CTE, including depression. While the exact cause of his struggles remains uncertain, his inner turmoil ultimately became too much to bear. Despite his outward smile, the emotional pain reached a breaking point in early December 2016, just before that year’s Heisman ceremony on December 10. Salaam had not planned to attend.
“If someone is struggling or having thoughts of harming themselves, I just beg them to please reach out to somebody,” said Shelley Martin, Salaam’s girlfriend. “Because it leaves us as the survivors of suicide. It’s devastating. If someone has cancer or is in a car accident, that’s hard enough, but when it’s self-inflicted, it’s even worse. It’s a pain that never goes away. Every day, it’s like carrying a weight you can’t put down.”
Charles E. Johnson, a teammate of Salaam’s on the 1993 Colorado team, also tragically died by suicide in North Carolina in 2022 at the age of 50.
In response to her son’s struggles, Salaam’s mother has worked to create the Rashaan Salaam Foundation, aiming to provide better mental health support for young people facing similar challenges. While she hadn't kept up with all of Travis Hunter’s achievements this season at Colorado, she hoped the attention surrounding Hunter’s potential Heisman win would help shine a light on the foundation, drawing awareness to the legacy of Colorado’s first Heisman Trophy winner from 30 years ago.
“It’s still in its early stages, but it has the potential to make a real impact in Rashaan’s name, and that means a lot to us,” she said.
In a striking coincidence, Salaam’s father, Sultan Salaam, 78, passed away on the same date as his son—Dec. 5—seven years later. Known earlier in life as Teddy Washington, Sultan had played at San Diego State under coach Don Coryell, following a brief stint at Colorado in 1963.
“It’s unbelievable,” Salaam’s mother said of the coincidence. “It’s all just amazing. If I let myself, it feels like it happened yesterday. But I’m not allowing myself to dwell on that. I’m focused on using all of this to do something positive, because it’s a lot to handle. It really is.”
After his son's tragic death in 2016, Salaam’s father told USA TODAY Sports that the Heisman Trophy was merely a football award and did not define his son’s life. He expressed his hope that Rashaan would be remembered not for the accolades, but as “a team player.”
“That means together each achieves more,” he said. “Not by yourself.”
“It’s a collective achievement and a celebration for us all,” he wrote.
For Shelley Martin, Rashaan Salaam’s longtime girlfriend, seeing Hunter’s success and potential Heisman win is a powerful moment. She’s rooting for him to become just the second Heisman winner in Colorado’s history.
“Of course, we know those are big shoes to fill, and (Hunter) has gone above and beyond,” said Martin, a Colorado graduate. “I’m so happy to support our alumni. I’m just grateful. To play offense and defense? Who else can do that? It’s super awesome.”
West, Salaam’s former teammate, has met Travis Hunter and sees many similarities between the two. He described Hunter as "a team guy," much like Salaam.
“He’s down to earth, always has a smile on his face,” West said. “I can’t think of a better representative for the university to win the second Heisman than Travis. He shares a lot of the same qualities as Rashaan.”
If Hunter wins the Heisman on Saturday, as many expect, it will be a "celebration for us all" at Colorado, just as Hunter said—echoing the spirit Salaam embodied 30 years ago when he won the prestigious award.
After his final home game for the Buffaloes, a Colorado fan gave Hunter an autographed Salaam jersey. Hunter posed for a picture with it, wearing his own Heisman T-shirt.
“Just like we all say, ‘We like to give the love to each other,’” said Kordell Stewart. “It’s never about one person.”
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