Colorado head coach Deion Sanders on Monday revealed that he recently underwent surgery to remove his bladder after doctors found a tumor — and says he's now cancer-free and ready to roll into the 2025 season.
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In true Coach Prime fashion, Sanders delivered the news with a mix of gratitude, honesty, and humor, telling reporters, "It wasn't easy. That was a fight. But we made it."
Appearing at Colorado's Dal Ward Athletic Center alongside Dr. Janet Kukreja, director of urological oncology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, and team trainer Lauren Askevold, Sanders explained that the tumor was discovered during routine vascular testing tied to his past struggles with blood clots.
The surgery was major. Life-changing. But the result? As Dr. Kukreja put it: "He's cured of cancer." She even emphasized: "I don't use that word lightly."
Sanders said he kept the diagnosis quiet — even from his sons, Shedeur and Shilo, and star corner Travis Hunter — while they prepped for the NFL Draft. He didn't want the attention on him, he said, or to distract from their futures.
"I even changed my number a couple times," he admitted. "I didn't want the calls, the texts — I just wanted to focus."
The operation involved removing Sanders' bladder and reconstructing a new one using part of his small intestine. Since then, he's been adjusting to a very different post-surgery routine, something he didn't shy away from discussing with a smile.
"I can't pee like I used to," he joked. "I depend on Depends. If you see a porta-potty on the sideline this season, it's real. Just telling you now."
He lost 25 pounds during the ordeal, but never lost faith. "We went through the trials and tribulations, but I'm thankful," he said, pointing to both his medical team and his belief in God. "He carried me through it."
Sanders' medical team says he's clear to coach this fall and should continue to stay active during recovery. Kukreja said Sanders was the ultimate competitor during rehab, even when she had to talk a little trash to keep him motivated.
"She told me, 'As good as you were, I'm better,'" Sanders laughed. "And I believed her."
The 57-year-old coach said he chose to speak out now in hopes of encouraging others to get screened. "Get checked," he urged. "Cancer doesn't always come with symptoms. I had no idea."
Sanders has dealt with major health scares before. He's previously battled blood clots, had two toes amputated in 2022, and underwent emergency vascular surgery last summer. But this latest fight was different — and he's ready to use it as a platform.
"This could've been a whole different kind of gathering if I didn't get checked," he said. "We all know someone who's been affected by the C-word."
On the football front, Sanders enters his third season at Colorado with a new quarterback competition unfolding. With Shedeur now in the NFL, the Buffaloes will look to either five-star freshman Julian Lewis or Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter to take the reins. Hunter, who dazzled on both sides of the ball last season, is back and expected to contend for the Heisman.
And so is Coach Prime, back on the sideline, bladder or no bladder.
