Deion Sanders has never been shy about sharing his battles, but his latest revelation is one of the most personal yet.
The 58-year-old Colorado football coach sat down for a new interview where he described the intense pain he endured after having his bladder removed during his fight against cancer.
For fans who know him as the fearless player and now the fiery coach on the sidelines, hearing him admit to moments of being on the bathroom floor screaming in agony paints a very different picture of the man known as “Prime Time.”
A Pain He’ll Never Forget
Sanders explained that after doctors rebuilt his bladder using part of his intestine, they instructed him to try urinating.
That seemingly simple act left him in unbearable pain.
“That was the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt in my life,” he recalled.
“I remember just on the ground in the bathroom, and I’m just screaming because it was so much pain.”
Choosing Surgery Over Chemotherapy
When doctors told Sanders he had an aggressive form of cancer, he was given two choices: undergo 36 weeks of chemotherapy or have his bladder removed. True to his nature, he didn’t hesitate long.
“I prayed on it. And I’m aggressive, man,” he said. “I ain’t waiting.
I ain’t sitting back on the curb waiting to go slowly but surely do whatever’s gonna happen.”
Just nine days after receiving his diagnosis, Sanders made the life-changing decision to remove his bladder.
Returning to the Sidelines
Despite everything, Sanders has continued to coach Colorado, though the program has had to make accommodations for him.
He even has a personal toilet on the sideline, and he admitted he sometimes needs “two pairs of Depends per night.”
Still, he refuses to let his condition keep him down. “I choose to rise up and not to stay down.
I choose to share,” he said. “I want everybody to understand you can make it. We’ve all got something to fight.
Who out there isn’t fighting something? It may not be cancer, but it’s something. But you will overcome. We can do this.”
A Long Journey of Health Challenges
This isn’t the first time Sanders has faced major health hurdles.
Back in July, he revealed that he lost 25 pounds and that the cancer was first detected during a routine CT scan of his vascular system.
Since 2021, he has undergone 14 surgeries, including operations on his legs and feet.
Those procedures led to the amputation of two toes in 2022 and 2023.
At one point, he even had to sit down with his family to prepare a will, just in case.
Coaching Through Adversity
Even while dealing with his health struggles, Sanders has remained committed to his team.
Colorado is off to a 2-2 start this season, with a recent 37-20 victory over Wyoming giving them a needed boost.
For Sanders, every moment on the sidelines is a reminder of his resilience.
His story is no longer just about football—it’s about grit, survival, and inspiring others to keep fighting their own battles.