Colorado coach Deion Sanders disclosed Monday that he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bladder cancer, but after surgery, his oncologist considered him cured.
Dr. Janet Kukreja, the director of urologic oncology at the CU Cancer Center/UCHealth University of Colorado hospital, said Sanders had his bladder removed as part of the surgical plan.
“It was a very high-grade tumor, invading into the bladder wall,” Kukreja said.
Sanders said he was getting a yearly checkup related to his previous blood clot issues that led to two toes getting amputated. While his CT scans were clear, his doctor said they were referred to a urologist two weeks later for a brief procedure. Within minutes of the procedure, Sanders was told he had a tumor in his bladder.
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.
“They were so wonderful. You were such a blessing,” Sanders said. “Verbalizing every darn detail so I could make an educated decision.”
Sanders was candid about his recovery, which led to him losing 20 pounds of weight, being bedridden for days, and depending on two catheter bags.
“I’m thankful. It has been a tremendous journey. It has been tough,” he said. “Dealing with a catheter, dealing with all this stuff that I had to deal with. Right now, I’m still dealing with going to the bathroom. Like, it’s a whole life change. I’m going to be transparent. I can’t pee like I used to pee. It’s totally different.”
Sanders plans to oversee the Buffaloes as he enters his third season at Colorado. The only visible change, Sanders said, could be on the sidelines.
“It is real. So, if you see a porta-potty on the sideline, it’s real,” Sanders said.
Doctors said this form of cancer, while prevalent, is not talked about enough.
“It’s the sixth most common cancer affecting Americans. It is top 10 in men, actually, and it’s fourth most common in men,” Dr. Solomon Woldu, Associate Professor of Urology at UT Southwestern, said. “It doesn’t make the top 10 women, but it is still common.”
Woldu warned that symptoms of bladder cancer could be painless.
“Anytime a patient sees blood in the urine or a significant change in their urinary symptoms, they should be evaluated by their primary care physician,” Woldu said.
Woldu and Sanders encourage men and women to keep up with their yearly health exams.
“If it wasn’t for me getting tested for something else, they wouldn’t have stumbled on this,” Sanders said.
Colorado coach Deion Sanders disclosed Monday that he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bladder cancer, but after surgery, his oncologist considered him cured.
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.
“It was so wonderful seeing the team yesterday,” Sanders said. “My God, it was so very wonderful.”
Sanders said he shared the news of his diagnosis with the team through a video that would eventually be made public on YouTube.
The production crew of “Well Off Media,” which chronicles Sanders and the Buffaloes, posted a video Sunday 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, and yesterday was tough because I had to make a will. That’s not easy at all, to think that you may not be here.”
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 that he hasn’t coached one of his sons in quite some time. The Cleveland Browns drafted quarterback Shedeur Sanders, while Shilo, a safety, is in camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes went 4-8 in his first season and 9-4 last season, with an appearance in the Alamo Bowl. They have big shoes to fill in replacing Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.
With a nine-year MLB career and 14 seasons in the NFL, here are five things to know about Deion Sanders, head football coach at Colorado.