In college football, where teams thrive on toughness, Deion Sanders’ hardest battle was not against other teams, but to save his own health. He fought a cancer and even lived with the fear of amputation that hung over him until the doctor shared a positive update.

Last year, Colorado’s vascular surgeon, Don Jacobs, watched Deion Sanders struggle on the field and feared he might need his leg amputated. This came after the struggles he faced against TCU. Sanders underwent surgery to clear blood clots, and then later came back to the field and anchored his team as they beat Iowa State 24-17 at home. In addition to his battle with blood clots, Sanders also faced a separate, daunting fight against bladder

“I was really worried about you in Fort Worth,” Jacobs said to Sanders during FaceTime. “Watching that game and seeing you hurt, I was worried.”

To that, even Sanders replied, saying, “I was worried, too.”

The surgery Sanders underwent in October was an aspiration thrombectomy for the left popliteal and tibial arteries. This procedure removed his clots, but given how serious the issue was, even the doctor couldn’t believe how fast Sanders recovered.

“Yeah, I know that pain hurts, and it was, you know, I was worried about losing a leg,” Jacobs said. “But, you know, we got you out quick… I was impressed, and everything healed up well.”

Even fellow Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe and his podcast host Chad Johnson were impressed at the grit shown by Sanders. “Coach Prime returned to the sidelines only four days after having surgery to remove blood clots,” Sharpe started on the October 11 episode of Nightcap. The most jaw-dropping part? “He apparently did not sit down during the entire game.” Sharpe added. “And ESPN reported that an assistant on the sideline was following him around with a stool in case he needed it.”

The positive news brought a wave of relief to the college football community. An Instagram user also gave Colorado’s head athletic trainer, Lauren Askevold, who followed Sanders from Jackson State, saying, “Amen and thank you @laurenjaskevold for ALWAYS looking out.” It takes a village!”

This isn’t the first time amputation fear has hit Deion Sanders. He has been battling blood circulation issues and blood clots in his lower body since 2021. Because of this, his left leg already lacks most of its calf and two toes after his last amputation.

Then came his bladder surgery, where he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bladder cancer after routine scans. Doctors first removed his entire bladder and then underwent a radical surgical process to reconstruct Deion Sanders’ urinary function using part of his intestine. This was one of the most painful experiences Sanders had to go through.

He used to scream in pain, and one of those incidents happened on the ground, too, when he went to the bathroom and started screaming. Even the continuous tests made him feel “irritated” all the time. So, with all this happening, another amputation would have been a major blow to him.

But through it all, it was his faith that kept Sanders going. A faith in god that he discovered after his 1997 suicide attempt. Despite driving his car off a cliff, Sanders survived with no injuries and termed it “divine intervention.” Ever since then, Buffs’ head coach’s faith in Jesus has become ever stronger, something he also instilled in his children.

“At a point where you can’t do anything about it,” Deion Jr said. “So, you really have to rely on faith. You can’t rely on yourself. Your money can’t get you out of it. You can’t get yourself out of nothing. So you’ve got to sit there and just have faith.”

“I have never questioned God,” Coach Prime told Michael Irvin in a July 2025 interview. “I never questioned and asked God. ‘Why me?’ I can’t. Why am I living like this? Why am I the coach of the Colorado Buffaloes? Why am I at this wonderful university? Why do I have these wonderful kids with my last name? Like, why me that God has blessed me so much.”

The revelation of Sanders’ silent struggles resonated with fans, who flooded social media with messages of support, seeing his perseverance as a source of inspiration

Fans pour in their prayers for Deion Sanders

Last season was not just hard on the field with a 3-9 record for Deion Sanders, but also his health issues made massive headlines. Despite that, fans were still behind him for the shameful losses. But just when the true reality came out, fans finally understood the struggles Sanders faced during one of his worst seasons at Boulder. This fan said, “Hallelujah, God is good. Amen.”

Then comes in another fan of Deion Sanders, who is not just motivating the coach for his health but also setting a path for his major comeback to the 2026 season. Just like they did it in the 2024 season with a 9-4 record and first bowl appearance since then. “Jesus heals!!! Redemption begins,” he said.

Deion’s phone is filled with blessings and prayers for his recovery. As this fan said, “Blessings.” The same goes for the other one who added to it, saying, “TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!”

Deion Sanders is entering the upcoming season not just with a lot of new faces, but also with resolved health issues. With the positive update from the doctor, it remains to be seen if that positivity will translate to the field for Sanders and the Buffaloes. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.