Colorado head coach Deion Sanders said Monday that a cancerous tumor was discovered on his bladder this offseason but he is now cancer free after his bladder was removed.
Sanders, 57, announced the update in his return to campus at Boulder, Colo., along with his medical team.
“I’m thankful,” Sanders said. “It has been a tremendous journey. It’s been tough. I think I dropped 25 pounds. … Just dealing with a catheter, dealing with all of the stuff I had to deal with. Right now, I’m still dealing with going to the bathroom. It’s a whole life change.”
In reminding people of all ethnicities to seek medical attention in a time of need, Sanders said, “Get checked out because it could have been a whole other gathering if I hadn’t.”
Dr. Janet Kukreja said the cancer was considered high risk since the tumor was starting to affect a muscle near the bladder. During surgery, Sanders’ bladder was removed with the “creation of a new bladder,” according to Kukreja.
“I am pleased to report that the results of the surgery is that he’s cured of the cancer,” Kukreja said.
Said Sanders: “You can clap. It’s OK.”
Wearing denim overalls and a cowboy hat, Sanders was upbeat throughout Monday’s press conference.
“I’ve built myself up to where I’m able, I’m strong, I’m ready,” Sanders said. “I’m still probably about 12 pounds down but I’m going to get that right. I’m going to fill these overalls up like no other. But it has been a tremendous journey.”
The bladder tumor was ultimately discovered through Sanders’ yearly body scan that, among other things, searches for issues associated to previous unrelated blood clots that caused two toes to be amputated in 2021.
Sanders admitted he was going through medical challenges after the Buffaloes’ season ended but had not given details of his health issue until Monday.
Last week, in a social media video posted by his son, Deion Sanders Jr., the coach said, “You know I’m still going through something. I ain’t all the way recovered.” The video showed him stepping into an ice bath, walking, shooting hoops and attending a tennis lesson.
The former NFL star has been giving consideration to his own mortality since the spring.
“Yesterday was tough because I had to make a will,” Sanders said in a video that was shot in May but not released until Sunday. “That’s not easy at all to think you may not be here.”
However, when asked at the press conference what it was like to stare death in the face, Sanders continued to be upbeat.
“I didn’t stare death in my face, I stared life in the face,” he responded. “I’m allowed to go through these trials and tribulations so that I can touch and reach and bless people with my words, with the energy with that thing that God gave me. So I never thought about no death. I got to make a will because I want to be a business, I want to be a good steward for my kids and for my family. But no, I got too much life to be thinking about death … And I got work to do. We got win the third championship.”
In his first two seasons at Colorado, Sanders’ teams have gone a combined 13-12, including 9-4 last season when the Buffaloes played in the Alamo Bowl. The team’s 2025 season starts Aug. 29 at home against Georgia Tech.
–Field Level Media
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