During his visit, Pavia gave viewers a tour of the Buffaloes’ football facilities, including the indoor practice field and weight room. After six seasons of college football, including two at the junior college level, the 24-year-old has exhausted his playing eligibility. He previously declined an opportunity to join Sanders because he did not want to serve as a backup quarterback.
“I do wish I could, you know, play for Coach Prime,” Pavia said during the livestream. “I feel like when you get offered in football, more offers come. So, in a way, I wouldn’t be here without Coach Prime’s offer. So, I came to support him, his team.”
Pavia’s journey began in Albuquerque, where he had no Division I offers and ultimately attended New Mexico Military Institute, where he won the 2021 junior college national title. Sanders, then coaching at Jackson State, extended an opportunity to him. Pavia chose New Mexico State before transferring to Vanderbilt in 2024. After the NFL Draft, public support from Sanders continued to surface, highlighting the long-standing connection between the two.
The NFL path did not mirror Pavia’s high-profile college success. Last year, he threw for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns, completing 70.6 percent of his passes while also rushing for 862 yards and 10 touchdowns. He helped Vanderbilt achieve its first 10-win season and finished as a runner-up in a notable award race.
Yet, in the NFL draft process, multiple teams passed on him. The Baltimore Ravens agreed to a three-year deal with Pavia on April 28, officially signing on May 1, and waiving him on July 23 to free up roster space. Since then, no team has signed him, with concerns circling his relatively smaller frame, age, and some off-field questions tied to the Heisman ceremony.
“I was thinking about going to Jackson State, but Deion was so real, he was like, ‘Hey, you’re not playing; this isn’t a 50/50 spot, my son’s [Shedeur Sanders] playing regardless,’” Pavia explained in a June 2025 interview. Sanders had made the quarterback hierarchy clear, leaving Pavia to decide between waiting behind Shedeur or seeking a place where he could compete for the starting job.
With Shedeur playing in the NFL, Colorado’s quarterback situation remains unsettled this season. Julian Lewis began the year as the starter but was replaced after the Baylor game. Utah transfer Isaac Wilson took over against Texas Tech and is slated to start this weekend against his former team. Pavia indicated Wilson appeared highly focused when they spoke, projecting a strong performance.
Colorado sits at 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the conference, suffering three straight defeats after an opening 2-0 run. The team’s previous season ended with a 3-9 record, including a heavy loss at Utah. Sanders has acknowledged the Utah squad as one of the best they’ll face this season but stressed that the players have not quit, continuing to work hard.
For Pavia, questions about his football future extend beyond the upcoming game. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers hold his CFL negotiating rights, and a stint in the UFL is another possible avenue. Recent NCAA eligibility developments could offer a path back to college football, but pursuing an additional season would require a new legal action. As of August, no such step had been publicly announced. His Boulder visit underscores how different things could have played out, and Pavia now expresses a wish to have had the chance to compete for a role on the team led by the coach he once declined.
This narrative illustrates how a player’s career can pivot on decisions about backup roles, opportunities offered, and timing within a dynamic college football landscape.
