Adam Munsterteiger, a longtime Colorado Buffaloes beat writer and recruiting insider, died peacefully Tuesday night surrounded by family, his wife, Liz, announced on social media. He had recently been hospitalized, but returned to work this past weekend to cover Colorado football recruiting visits.
The news landed hard because Munsterteiger had also recently appeared upbeat and energetic on a podcast with longtime Buffs play-by-play announcer Mark Johnson. That made his death feel sudden to fans and colleagues who had just heard him sounding like himself, talking football with the same ease and familiarity that made him a fixture around the program.
Colorado coach Deion Sanders offered condolences Wednesday morning, writing, “We appreciated u [Adam] and respected u truly,” and adding, “Thank u for being u and I’m praying for entire family, friends & loved ones. Adam is 1 of 1. God bless!” Sanders later posted again, saying, “Let’s stop taking this day for granted!” and, “Someone waaay more deserving didn’t wake up this morning but we did and we somehow take this gift for granted. Today is a gift therefore let’s live it being appreciative & kind. God bless u.”
Colorado athletic director Fernando Lovo also responded publicly, writing, “Awake. Blessed. Grateful,” and saying it was a pleasure getting to know Adam. Lovo said Munsterteiger’s memory will live on through all the lives he touched.
Munsterteiger spent years covering Colorado football closely, building the trust that comes with being present for the work, the rumors and the recruiting visits that shape a program’s future. He was not just another byline to Buffaloes fans; he was one of the people who knew the team from the inside out, and his recent return to work after a hospital stay only deepened the sense that he was still in the fight.
That is what makes his death so difficult to absorb. He was there this weekend. He was sounding like himself on the podcast. Then by Tuesday night, he was gone, and the messages from Sanders and Lovo showed how widely his absence was felt inside and around the Colorado program.
