Deion Sanders shares he’s beaten cancer; urges men to take health check ups seriously
The former NFL and MLB player discussed the importance of visiting your doctor during his latest health update.
Deion Sanders reported that he is cancer-free and got his swagger back.
“Last year this time, it wasn’t a good look,” the Colorado Buffaloes head coach said during an interview with Good Morning America.
Sanders was diagnosed with cancer in the spring of 2025 after doctors found a tumor on his bladder during a routine CAT scan checking for blood clots in his leg. As a result, he opted for surgery to have his bladder removed and rebuilt. He has been open about having over 16 surgeries in three years, even documenting the experience in vlogs featuring his girlfriend, Karrueche Tran.
Sanders has kept himself active since, still coaching the Division 1 football team through its season. But he didn’t sugarcoat his experience with the disease and recovery from his surgery, calling it “a tremendous and tumultuous battle,” and saying, “I’m thankful to be sitting here right now.”
“I’m healthy. I got my swagger back, I’m ready to go coach my butt off this season and I’m having a good time,” Sanders said.
The two-time NFL Champion, who played in both the Super Bowl and the World Series, not only shared his progress, he also had a message for men who could potentially miss the warning signs when it comes to their health. In his own case, he wasn’t looking for cancer when he discovered he had it.
“Early detection was key,” he said. “[Because] you know I got an amputation, so they were checking for something else and stumbled upon this.”
He continued, “Men, we’re not serious about our health. We placate it. Women are serious. They don’t play, they go to the doctor at the drop of a hat. We’re tough, we were taught to be strong, not cry, have that bravado. And early detection was key for me.”