Colorado head coach Deion Sanders opened up on his health struggles in a press conference on Monday, revealing an aggressive bladder cancer diagnosis as the reason for his absence this offseason.
Sanders, who had the presser scheduled to address his health, underwent surgery to have his bladder removed and is cancer-free, with his medical team joining him to confirm as much.
The 57-year-old had been away from Boulder for most of May and June, also missing key events outside of football, including speaking engagements and Travis Hunter’s wedding.
He said he was dealing with a serious medical issue then, but did not go into details until Monday, when he sat with his medical team to deliver the update.
The coach revealed he lost 25 pounds during the ordeal but kept it lighthearted as he joked about depending on Depends adult diapers. “I’ll be transparent: I can’t pee like I used to pee,” he said.
“I’m making a joke out of it, but it’s real. It’s real. If you see a portapotty on the sideline, it’s real,” he added.
The former NFL star also urged men to get screened for bladder cancer following his own experience.
Despite the diagnosis, Coach Prime is ready to get back to work and is looking ahead to his third season as the Buffaloes head coach.
The surgery, which saw a new urinary passageway constructed for Sanders, marked his 14th operation since 2021. Prime has battled multiple issues with blood clots in the past, which resulted in the amputation of two of his left toes.
The former cornerback returned to campus on July 25, claiming he was “back and feeling great.” But he opted to clear the air on his fight with cancer ahead of camp to get all of the speculation out of the way.
We’re glad to learn that he’s cancer-free following what’s been a rough few years for the Colorado HC.
We wish him the very best ahead of his third season at Boulder.
