Deion Sanders Discloses Heartbreaking Medical Diagnosis

NFL legend and University of Colorado coach Deion Sanders revealed on Monday that he was diagnosed with bladder cancer earlier this year.

Dr. Janet Kukreja, Sanders’ doctor at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, said at a news conference that he was “cured” of the cancer after having his bladder removed.

Routine testing detected a malignant tumor on Sanders’ bladder, with removal of the bladder as part of the surgical plan.

“You have no idea how good God has been to me,” Sanders said.

Check it out:

“You have no idea how good God has been to me.”

Deion Sanders got emotional after revealing he is cured from cancer. pic.twitter.com/3VDTX0HMFH

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 28, 2025

“I’m pleased to report that the results from the surgery are that he is cured from the cancer,” Kukreja said.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and his medical team announced that he had a bladder tumor that has been removed and is now “cured from the cancer.” pic.twitter.com/Y6pZO9ETH4

— ESPN (@espn) July 28, 2025

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Kukreja said the type of cancer Sanders was dealing with had a high recurrence rate and that he decided to go forward with the “curative” option of having his bladder removed.

Sanders said that he knew he had surgery upcoming for the tumor as his son Shedeur Sanders dealt with a rough draft weekend after he fell from a possible first-round NFL Draft pick to the fifth round.

“There was some scenes you saw, all the bull junk that’s transpired on draft day,” Sanders said. “It wasn’t just that. It was just, I knew as well I had a surgery coming up. My sons, to this day, don’t know what transpired, I just told them it was something with my foot, because I wanted to give them the focus on making the team and not focused on dad.”

The Pro Football Hall of Famer had been away from the team and at his home in Texas after spring practice to deal with health issues. He appeared at Big 12 media days earlier in July and declined to answer questions about his health while at the podium during his appearance there. He said Monday that not continuing to coach never crossed his mind after he was diagnosed.

Colorado assistant athletic trainer Lauren Askevold said that the cancer discovery began after Sanders went through his routine vascular tests. The training staff received a call from his primary care doctor after the vascular tests, and the process of setting up a visit with a urologist and diagnosing what was going on began.

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Sanders enters his third season as the head coach for the Buffaloes and has full intention of leading the team.

The two-time Super Bowl champion has dealt with a myriad of health issues the past several years.

“Let’s learn to LOVE like we may not get another opportunity to do so provided we choose the right people to LOVE! Love is so special it’s so unique & so real. God is LOVE & his LOVE is unconditional. Let’s stop judging, stop hating & Let LOVE have its way!” Sanders said Monday.

Let’s learn to LOVE like we may not get another opportunity to do so provided we choose the right people to LOVE! Love is so special it’s so unique & so real. God is LOVE & his LOVE is unconditional. Let’s stop judging, stop hating & Let LOVE have its way! #CoachPrime

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) July 28, 2025

The Associated Press explained:

Sanders, who turns 58 next month, spoke to the media on the eve of fall camp. He brought his medical team with him to discuss his diagnosis.

The charismatic coach returned to campus last week and announced on social media, “Back and Feeling Great!” He’s missed football camps in Boulder this summer amid reports that he’s been ill.

On Sunday, the production crew of “Well Off Media,” which chronicles Sanders and the Buffaloes, posted a video on YouTube of the coach’s first meeting with the team. In the middle of the clip, there was a scene, dated May 9, where Sanders said: “I don’t know if I’m ready mentally, emotionally. Last night was tough, yesterday was tough, because I had to make a will. That’s not easy at all, to think that you may not be here.”

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Sanders has dealt with issues surrounding his left foot since having two toes amputated in 2021 because of blood clot issues while he was coaching at Jackson State. He missed media day in 2023, his inaugural year at Colorado, after a procedure to remove a blood clot from his right leg and another to straighten toes on his left foot.

In March, Sanders signed a contract extension through the 2029 season.

The Buffaloes kick off the season on Aug. 29 against Georgia Tech at Folsom Field. It will be the first season in quite some time that he hasn’t coached one of his sons. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders was drafted by the Cleveland Browns while Shilo, a safety, is in camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Watch the full press conference: