Colorado head coach Deion Sanders provided his latest health update Monday and Coach Prime will be ready to go for the 2025 college football season. His health battles have been kept mostly under wraps, but Sanders even admitted he created a will in May.
Sanders and the doctors present with him Monday, Dr. Janet Kukreia and CU athletic trainer Lauren Askevold, revealed he had bladder cancer. Coach Prime was revealed to have been cured of the cancer after surgery.
Sanders underwent 14 surgeries that included a bladder removal. The Buffaloes’ leader was thankful for the doctors and support because he was truly unsure if he would make it to this point.
“The process wasn’t easy … you saw all the bull junk that transpired on draft day, it wasn’t just that,” Sanders said. “I had a surgery coming up. My sons to this day don’t know what transpired. I just told them something with my foot again, because I wanted them to focus on making the team and not focused on Dad. So they really don’t know. My daughters do and this joker right here. Much love to my son, Junior, who (did) not (leave) my side since we found out what was taking place. Not one day. He’s been with me here, been with me in Texas, been with me everywhere, every day, and I’ve seen his hands and face, and I love you to life, son, and I thank you for everything you bring to the table.
“But this wasn’t easy. Men, everybody get checked out, because if it wasn’t for me, and get tested for something else, they wouldn’t have stumbled up on this. And make sure you go to the get the right care. Because without wonderful people like this, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here today, because it grew so expeditiously, I could say, but please get yourself checked out. Especially African American men, we don’t like going to the doctors. We don’t like nothing to do with the doctor. You know that. So I’m not just talking to the brothers. I’m talking to my Caucasian brothers, my Hispanic brothers, my Asian brothers, my everybody and my sisters. And that’s all y’all get checked out, because it could have been a whole another gathering.”
Deion Sanders announces he’s been cured of bladder cancer
Sanders will have significant physical changes, but it won’t slow him down going into the 2025 season. He was very open an honest about his condition Monday.
“It’s been a tremendous journey. It’s been tough. I think I dropped 25 pounds,” Sanders said. “It’s just dealing with the catheter, dealing with all the stuff that I had to deal with, and right now I’m still dealing with going to the bathroom, like it’s a whole life change, like I can’t and I’m gonna be transparent, I can’t pee, like I used to pee. It’s totally different … I cannot control … so I get up and go to the bathroom already four or five times a night, but then I’m sitting up there waking up, you know, like my grandson … We got the same problem right now, we going through the same trials and tribulations. We kind of see who has the heaviest bag at the end of the night. Like, this is ridiculous, but I’m making a joke out of it, but it’s real. Like, it is real, it is real, it is real.
“So if you see porta potty on the sideline, it’s real. Okay, I’m just telling you right now, you’re gonna see it. You’re gonna see it at practice. You’re gonna see one because it is unbelievable, like dozing off and waking up on first day I’m grabbing my crotch to see if I peed on myself. And it’s just totally different. And I know it’s a lot of people out there going through what I’m going through and dealing with what I’m dealing with, and let’s stop being ashamed of and let’s deal with it, and let’s deal with the head on.”
Sanders acknowledged that “God is good” over and over and was truly thankful for all those around him. After this harrowing ordeal, he’s certainly ready to fully get back to football.
Sanders is getting ready for his third season at Colorado after leading the Buffs’ impressive turnaround in 2024. The program went 8-5 one year after a 4-8 record, making it to the Alamo Bowl. However, star players Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are off to the NFL, meaning CU will have a new-look roster in 2025.
Coach Prime pointed out the impact of losing its quarterback and Heisman Trophy-winning two-way threat. That said, he thinks the rest of the group has a chance to be even better this season.
“They were great players. We have a better team,” Sanders said during an appearance on ESPN at Big 12 Media Days. “There’s a difference between great players and a great team. We have a better team, but we can never replace those type of players.”
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