The call pinged across Scott Sanders’ phone Monday night, digits forever seared into his brain because Talanoa Hufanga hasn’t changed his phone number since high school.
Sanders, Hufanga’s former high school football coach at Crescent Valley in Corvallis, Ore., shot him a text earlier that day to check in as NFL free agency unfolded. This wasn’t unusual. Hufanga has returned to Crescent Valley every year and spoke with Sanders on Tuesday off-days during his four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.
So the star safety rang Sanders and told him the news, excitedly: He was going to sign with the Broncos.