University of Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders announced he battled and defeated bladder cancer. The Pro Football Hall of Famer revealed his diagnosis and treatment results at a press conference on Monday.
"You have no idea how good God has been to me."
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 28, 2025
Deion Sanders got emotional after revealing he is cured from cancer. pic.twitter.com/3VDTX0HMFH
"This was not an easy task. ... It was dynamic. It was tough. It wasn't a cakewalk. It wasn't easy," Sanders said, adding he lost about 25 pounds during the process. "That was a fight, but we made it."
Sanders, who said he had an aggressive tumor in his bladder removed, was declared "cured of cancer" by his medical team. He was largely out of the public eye for several months save for an appearance at Big 12 media days earlier in July.
Deion Sanders reveals details of his victorious bladder cancer fight
During Monday's press conference, Sanders pivoted between his trademark humorous charm and stoic attitude while describing his life after the surgery.
"I can't pee like I used to,'' Sanders said with a laugh. "I depend on Depends... I'm making a joke out of it, but it is real. It is real. It is real. If you see a port-a-potty on the sideline, it is real, I'm just telling you. You're going to see one at practice, on the sideline [during games].''
Sanders' medical team described how part of his small intestine was used to create a new bladder but that he will be fully recovered and available to coach when the 2025-26 college football season gets underway.
He is hoping Monday's announcement will encourage more people to get screened for cancer and ultimately save lives.
"Get checked out, get checked out,'' Sanders implored. "It could have been a whole other kind of gathering [today] if I didn't... Everyone knows someone who is affected or infected by the 'C' word.''
The upcoming campaign will be Sanders' third at the helm for the Buffaloes but it will be the first without his son, Shedeur, at quarterback nor Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. All eyes will be on Boulder as Coach Prime navigates recovery as well as a daunting Big 12 field.