“I depend on Depend, if you know what I mean. I truly depend on Depend. Cannot control my bladder.” After doctors diagnosed Deion Sanders and removed his bladder in May, the head coach at the University of Colorado decided to team up with Depend, a brand known for incontinence underwear. What makes this partnership special is Sanders’ bold effort to remove the stigma surrounding bladder control issues. Depend’s parent company, Kimberly-Clark, echoed this message by applauding Sanders for his bravery in sharing his journey publicly.

Depend is often the punchline of jokes or seen as something only older people worry about, but Sanders is flipping that narrative on its head. And make no mistake, Deion isn’t just joking around, making it a PR stunt, when he talks about Depend. He’s actually using the product himself. Sanders made it very clear to everyone when he posted a photo on X, showing the Depend products he relies on.

“I wasn’t joking!” Sanders writes on X. “I truly DEPEND on @Depend. #ad Ain’t NO SHAME in taking care of yourself. NO SHAME in getting health screenings. And there certainly ain’t NO SHAME in needing added protection or using Depend to stay in the game. That’s not weakness — that’s WINNING.” It was a genuine shoutout to something that’s helping him live his life without holding back. For Sanders, who’s undergone 14 surgeries and lost 25 pounds through his battle, this is a chance to use his platform for good. 

The partnership with Depend allowed Sanders to take ownership of his situation without shame. It’s something many people who face similar challenges struggle to do. And what makes Sanders’ approach so impactful? It’s how he uses his own experience to teach a bigger lesson. Paying attention to your health and getting checked regularly is important. He shared that doctors found his cancer incidentally during routine testing for something else, which highlights how crucial regular health screenings can be.

His bladder removal came with a lot of changes in his body. Surgeons put a neobladder in its place from his small intestine, and that led to changes in his urinal habits. “You have to push through your stomach and force the pee out,” Sanders said. “Like you can’t just pee, and when you feel like you gotta go pee, you need to pee or you gonna start leaking.” But Depend helps him deal with it. And even after so many enduring surgeries and issues, Deion Sanders bounced right back to coaching. And Depend is his all-time partner now. “No shame at all!” Depend responded to Sanders on the social media site X. “We’re proud to help you stay in the game, Coach Prime.”

Deion Sanders’ Depend ad is all about realness

Of course, stepping into such a vulnerable conversation hasn’t come without its share of public mockery. But Deion Sanders took his partnership with Depend underwear to the next level by producing his very first advertisement for the brand. In the ad, Sanders leans into the reality of his situation with his trademark fearless attitude.

“I get up and go to the bathroom already four or five times a night,” he admitted candidly. “But then I’m sitting up there, waking up like my grandson. We’re dealing with the same problem right now. We’re going through the same trials and tribulations. We kind of see who has the heaviest bag at the end of the night. It’s ridiculous. I’m making a joke out of it, but it’s real. It is real, it is real, it is real. If you see a Port-a-Potty on the sideline, it’s real. I’m just telling you right now, you’re going to see it. You’re going to see it at practice. Because it is unbelievable.”

Deion wants to flip the script on how society views incontinence, making it clear that no one should feel ashamed or alone dealing with such health challenges. Using his platform as a respected coach and former superstar athlete, Sanders is normalizing conversations about bladder health and helping others facing similar battles feel empowered.