Colorado University Athletics
Where Are They Now: Phillip Lindsay Still Representing Colorado and Denver
March 17, 2026 | Football
BOULDER — Some players leave Colorado with records. Others leave with memories.
Phillip Lindsay left with something more.
The Denver native became one of the most beloved players in program history, turning a hometown dream into a record setting career at Colorado before proving himself again in the NFL as an undrafted Pro Bowl running back.
Today, Lindsay is still representing his city, this time behind a microphone as a radio personality in Denver for 104.3 The Fan, continuing a journey built on resilience, belief and pride in his hometown.
In the first installment of CUBuffs.com's Where Are They Now series, Lindsay reflects on his journey from Denver South to Boulder to the NFL and the lessons that continue to shape his life today.
For Phillip Lindsay, the journey has always been about belief.
Belief in himself.
Belief in his city.
Belief that a kid from Denver could make it at Colorado and beyond.
Lindsay arrived in Boulder carrying more doubt than hype. He tore his ACL during his senior year at Denver South after breaking his father's rushing record. With a long rehabilitation ahead and a new coaching staff arriving at Colorado, the future felt uncertain.
The Denver native never wavered.
Growing up just miles from Boulder, Colorado football was always part of Lindsay's life. When the opportunity came to play for the Buffaloes, it was about more than football.
It was about representing his city.
Despite recovering from a torn ACL and entering a new coaching regime under Mike MacIntyre, Lindsay attacked every day with something to prove. Even his redshirt season became motivation.
With the help of Colorado's training staff, Lindsay attacked rehabilitation with urgency. At times, he was unsure whether he would be able to play again as his knee struggled to fully recover.
Lindsay described his first year as a Buff as a humbling but foundational experience. He spent the season on the scout team.
"When I first got there, I didn't know if I was going to be able to play again," Lindsay said. "My knee wouldn't bend or straighten. I was five or six months out of surgery and the medical staff didn't know if I'd play again."
Instead of becoming discouraged, Lindsay treated every scout team practice like a game.
"Every day I went out there with the mindset of I'm going to beat the guy in front of me and make sure this coaching staff understands what they're getting out of me next year."
Lindsay's relentless work ethic quickly translated onto the field.
Over the course of his career, he became one of the most productive players Colorado has ever seen.
Lindsay By The Numbers at Colorado
Career Games: 39
Rush Attempts: 554
Rushing Yards: 2,708
Rushing Touchdowns: 24
Receiving
87 receptions
743 receiving yards
2 touchdowns
Kick Returns
1,003 yards
But the impact went far beyond the box score.
Including bowl statistics, Lindsay finished his career with:
5,926 all purpose yards
4,849 yards from scrimmage
24 school records
He also became the first player in Colorado history with back-to-back 1,000 yard rushing seasons.
More than anything, Lindsay remembers the consistency.
"Everything in life is about routine and consistency," Lindsay said. "Doing the work even when you don't want to do it."
Lindsay holds Colorado's school records for both all-purpose yards and yards from scrimmage.
The defining moment of Lindsay's college career came during the 2016 season.
Colorado surged to the Pac-12 Championship Game, marking the program's return to national relevance after several difficult seasons.
For Lindsay, the season represented more than wins and losses.
It was the culmination of years of shared struggle.
"It wasn't just the wins," Lindsay said. "It was the brotherhood. We went through everything together and never quit on each other."
The foundation had been built through long offseason workouts, tough losses and a commitment to stay together when it would have been easier to leave.
"We went through the storm like a buffalo," he said. "That's what buffalo do."
By the end of his career, Lindsay had become one of the most beloved players in Colorado football history.
But the doubts never truly disappeared.
Despite his record setting career at Colorado, Lindsay faced another obstacle when he entered the NFL Draft.
He went undrafted.
Once again, questions about his size overshadowed his production.
The Denver Broncos gave him an opportunity as an undrafted free agent, but even making the roster was far from guaranteed.
For Lindsay, the moment felt familiar.
"All I ever wanted was an opportunity," he said. "I knew if I got the chance, I was going to be ready."
He seized it.
During his rookie season with the Broncos, Lindsay rushed for more than 1,000 yards and quickly became one of the most exciting players in the league.
By the end of the year, he had achieved something unprecedented.
Lindsay became the first undrafted offensive rookie in NFL history to be selected to the Pro Bowl.
For a player who had spent much of his career proving doubters wrong, the moment carried special meaning.
"Making the team meant everything to me," Lindsay said. "I did it the right way. I willed myself into that opportunity."
Yet even during the highest moments of his career, Lindsay remained grounded by the challenges that shaped him.
"There were dark times," he said. "You can have a great game and then go home and still deal with real life problems. That's when you realize you have to love yourself and keep pushing forward."
Those lessons extended far beyond football.
Like many athletes, Lindsay eventually faced the difficult transition away from the game.
Rather than walking away from football entirely, he found a new role in sports media.
Today he hosts one of Denver's most popular sports radio shows, The Drive on 104.3 The Fan alongside Zach Bye, offering perspective shaped by his own experiences as a player.
"This helped me heal," Lindsay said. "A lot of players don't get that transition out of football. This gave me a way to stay connected to the game."
The move into broadcasting also allowed Lindsay to share insights from both sides of the game.
Now part of the media, he understands the importance of critiquing performances without attacking the people behind them.
"It's about critiquing the performance, not the performer," he said.
That balance has helped him build credibility in a new arena.
Even years after his final carry at Folsom Field, Lindsay remains deeply connected to the city that shaped him.
Community involvement and mentorship have become central parts of his life.
Lindsay explained giving back is about more than appearances.
"You might save a kid's life just by being present," he said. "Sometimes all they need is someone to show up."
It is a responsibility he embraces.
Lindsay still follows the Buffaloes closely and believes the program has the opportunity to build something special.
For him, the most important thing for current players is understanding the opportunity they have in front of them.
"You're playing for Colorado. That means something. You represent a whole state when you put that jersey on."
He said the spotlight surrounding the program today also brings responsibility.
"There's a lot of attention on Colorado right now," Lindsay said. "That's a blessing, but it also means you have to handle your business every day."
Lindsay's message to today's Buffaloes is simple: focus on the work and the brotherhood.
"Don't take it for granted," he said. "The relationships you build with the guys in that locker room will last forever."
He also emphasized that success at Colorado requires toughness and consistency.
"Everything in life is about routine and consistency," Lindsay said. "Doing the work when nobody's watching. That's what separates people."
The lessons learned in Boulder extend far beyond football.
"Colorado prepares you for life," he said. "The discipline, the adversity, the brotherhood. All of that stays with you."
Records fade. Statistics change.
What Lindsay hopes endures is something far more meaningful.
"I want people to say Phillip Lindsay was a bad dude on the football field," he said. "But more importantly, that he was a great person and a great dad."
For the Denver kid who dreamed of wearing the black and gold, that legacy means everything.
As Colorado continues through spring practice and builds toward the annual Spring Game at Folsom Field, Lindsay sees a program positioned for something special.
The energy, the attention and the expectations all feel familiar, but the opportunity is even bigger.
For Lindsay, the message to today's Buffaloes is simple: embrace it.
"Don't take it for granted," he said. "You're playing for Colorado. That means something."
And as the Buffs take the field this spring, one of their own will be watching; Still representing the city, still representing the program, and still believing in what Colorado football can become.
Fans wanting to get a first glimpse of the 2026 Colorado Buffaloes football team can claim tickets now for the annual AT&T Black & Gold Day.
Football season tickets are on sale now and fans are encouraged to lock in their seats for six exciting games at iconic Folsom Field this fall. Be a part of the pageantry and excitement of one of the most unique college football atmospheres in the country by getting your tickets today!
