Deion Sanders is not scared of many things. But a fateful update from a routine hospital check last year forced him to draft a will for his children, out of fear. Doctors had alerted him about a cancerous mass in his bladder, which led to a battle unlike anything else Sanders had fought. A year later, Coach Prime looked back on the harrowing journey.

“I’m thankful that we fought the battle, and we won the battle fighting cancer,” Sanders said during an appearance on Good Morning America. “It was a tremendous and tumultuous battle, and I’m thankful to be sitting here right now.

“… I’m cancer-free. I’m good. Great doctors in Colorado that has brought me through. God has brought me through. I’m thankful, I‘m healthy. I got my swagger back. I’m ready to go.”

Last year, Deion Sanders had surprisingly left Colorado in the offseason, sparking concern among fans. He revealed the cancer diagnosis in July 2025, after he’d braved a very difficult surgery and the rehab that came with it. Former teammate and Dallas Cowboys icon Michael Irvin was in tears after visiting Sanders during his recovery, and asked fans to pray for him.

For a long time, it was only Deion Sanders Jr. who knew about the cancer diagnosis; sons Shedeur and Shilo got to know much later. Sanders could have opted for chemo, but chose to remove the cancer surgically to be on the Colorado sidelines in time for the season. Between the surgery and his return to the field, Coach Prime navigated through a very trying time.

The former Super Bowl champion struggled a lot when trying to use the bathroom, as his bladder had to be reconstructed. He also developed incontinence issues during this time. And outside, the media had begun speculating that Sanders would not be coming back to coach. But Sanders, who once suited up for an NFL and an MLB game on the same day, was not one to quit.

“I always knew I was gonna coach again,” Sanders said last year, in a tell-all press conference. “It was never in my spirit, in my heart, that God wouldn’t allow me to coach again. Never thought like that.”

Deion Sanders and Co. recorded a tough 3-9 season in 2025, but he did it all while navigating his health issues. He reportedly lost around 25 pounds during this time, and also had a portable bathroom built for him on the sidelines to save time.

This season, however, Sanders believes things will turn around.

“We’re gonna win, and we gotta win,” Sanders told Front Office Sports in June this year.

It’s tough to come back after a year like that. After last season’s struggles, nearly all of his players on the roster filed out of Colorado during the transfer portal. But Sanders seems visibly healthier this year, and there’s a pep in his step. Hopefully, he can prove doubters wrong by finishing with good numbers this season.