Deion Sanders is once again stepping off the sidelines, this time for another serious health procedure. During his weekly press conference on Tuesday, the Colorado head coach revealed he would be undergoing a four-hour surgery to address recurring blood clot issues in his left leg. So, when the Colorado Buffaloes gathered for Tuesday’s press conference, the room felt different. Normally, Coach Prime strides in with swagger, a confident grin, ready to talk Xs and Os. But this time, his tone was quieter. “I am having a procedure today … I trust God with all my heart,” he said, before revealing that the surgery will run roughly four hours.

Why is Deion Sanders Undergoing 4-Hour Surgery?

Sanders’ health scare comes just days after Colorado’s 35–21 loss to TCU, a game after which he admitted he was in significant pain. His condition has been closely monitored since a series of vascular complications in 2021, which required several surgeries and nearly led to the loss of his leg.

The operation, known medically as an aspiration thrombectomy, targets clots in the popliteal and tibial arteries, the same leg where Sanders has already endured multiple surgeries and the amputation of two toes. “It’s a long procedure, but I’m having it today,” Sanders said, remaining characteristically upbeat. “Prayerfully, I’ll be right back tomorrow. I don’t like missing practice. We knew what it was, and I’ve got a great team of doctors and trainers making sure I’m good.”

“I’m gonna go in there, and I’m gonna get some of the best sleep in the world for I think, four hours the surgery’s gonna be,” Sanders said. But his latest issue isn’t brand new; it’s a resurgence of a recurring problem. Back in September 2021, Coach Prime’s nerve surgery spiraled into blood clots, cutting off circulation, landing him in the hospital for 23 days. He had to undergo eight procedures, including amputating his left foot’s big toe and the one next to it, plus carving out calf sides for compartment syndrome.

He nearly lost his leg, missing three games before wheeling back in a motorized cart on November 13. By June 2023, in Colorado, clots near his groin threatened his foot again, fixed in a nine-hour op, followed by two more that summer, totaling 12 surgeries since ’21.

And then, just a few months back, in May 2025, Deion Sanders underwent another major 7-hour bladder surgery, where doctors removed his cancerous bladder and reconstructed a new one using part of his intestine. The Colorado coach later said that the procedure left him 25 pounds lighter, but cancer-free; his doctors declared him cured. Needless to say, it’s another tough stretch for the Sanders family. But if there’s one thing Coach Prime has never lacked, it’s spirit.

What is his new health concern?

Now, the plan is to tackle the current clot issue head-on. The 4-hour-long procedure will target the left popliteal and tibial arteries. Colorado later confirmed the nature of the operation in a statement, assuring fans that Sanders was under expert care.

The striking part? Sanders plans to be back on the field almost immediately. He said he hopes to return to practice the very next day. It’s ambitious, bordering on audacious, but in his mind, he doesn’t miss practice. He is firing back: “It has nothing to do with me working… It’s hereditary. It is what it is.” Planning to hit practice tomorrow and call plays Saturday against Iowa State, Sanders quipped about the surgery, “I’m gonna go in there, and I’m gonna get some of the best sleep in the world.”

His restructured contract with Colorado contains a disability clause stating that if he’s ever deemed unable to perform the essential functions of his job, the deal can be terminated immediately. However, if Sanders were to retire voluntarily due to medical reasons, he wouldn’t owe the university a buyout, unless he chose to return to coaching elsewhere.

In the end, the question becomes: after a four-hour surgery to clear problematic clots, following a cancer battle, is Deion Sanders still physically built to coach at the level he demands of himself, and will this be the next chapter in a long fight to stay not just in the game, but on his feet?