Colorado State got a one-of-a-kind commitment this summer when sumo wrestler Hidetora Hanada in Japan announced his commitment to the Rams.
The sumo wrestling champion had his first football action in March 2022 when he participated in an X League tryout, and quickly became a football star within Japan.
The 21-year-old Hanada said at the time: “I feel very lucky to be able to join the Colorado State team. It coincidentally came a week after I was in a situation wondering where I would go next. The opportunity came about because I was able to participate in the CFL combine.”
Colorado State adding a former sumo champion to its ranks unsurprisingly generated an enormous reaction among college football fans but it got even better once his jersey was revealed.
The 6’1″, 280-pound DL has a jersey that has adopted Japanese lettering (known as “kanj”) on the back of his jersey.
Hidetora Hanada has played in just one game and has registered three assisted tackles, which came in a 30-13 loss to the Air Force Falcons last month.
A week later, he was awarded a unique honor by the program as his name was name was printed on the back of his jersey in Japanese, highlighting his heritage and letting everyone know about the journey the talented redshirt junior has been on.
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“For the rest of the season, Hidetora Hanada’s nameplate will have his name written in kanji,” the football program’s official account tweeted in Japanese. “We want him to remember home! He is a great addition to our team!”
The 6-foot-1, 280-pound tackle has certainly come along quickly after enrolling in the program.
Hanada is rapidly improving and finding his way onto the field for the Rams.
