There are only a few names in the world who have had overlapping careers in both MLB and NFL, and former Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Braves star Deion Sanders is one such name on the list. But interestingly, just for the sake of avoiding a health checkup procedure, Sanders was willing to go to unusual lengths.
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“When I play for the Braves and the Falcons at the same time, I used to tell the Braves that I got the football checkup. I tell the Falcons I got the baseball checkup,” Sanders said in a recent conversation with his son, Shilo. “Like, dude, you’re not going to do that [colonoscopy] to me.”
In 1989, a young Deion Sanders made his MLB debut with the New York Yankees in May before making his NFL debut in September for the Atlanta Falcons. For seven seasons, his career overlapped, but the timeline of the incident dates back to the 1991 to 1994 stretch. Sanders duped both the Falcons and the Braves for one particular reason.
Having just started his professional career, the former NFL cornerback was at the peak of his physical prime and had no medical complications. Yet, when a routine colonoscopy checkup to screen for colorectal cancer, investigate unexplained bowel symptoms, monitor existing digestive conditions, or remove precancerous growths was called upon, Sanders hesitated and made excuses to both the Falcons and the Braves.
For Deion Sanders, having a dual sporting career seemingly came as an easy way to convince the associated franchise about any health checkup requirements. However, it also gradually brought friction and complications in his relationship with the Falcons and Braves in particular.
Since the MLB season runs through the summer, Sanders routinely skipped Falcons training camp and pre-season practices. During the peak of the Braves’ 1992 World Series run, Sanders chose to skip a Falcons game against the San Francisco 49ers entirely so he could suit up for Game 2 of the World Series.
As a result, the then-Falcons head coach Jerry Glanville later admitted that managing Deion Sanders was incredibly tough. He had to prepare the team all week without knowing if Sanders would even be available, and Glanville even remarked that coaching Sanders was like managing an “injured player”.
Literally, the NFL legend had no medical complications, so he even skipped routine checkups. However, years later, after retiring from his playing career and transitioning to a coaching career, Sanders became an advocate for colonoscopies after finally going through the medical procedure.
“Men, I need y’all to hear me CLEARLY! I had a COLONOSCOPY today & I was all good. I didn’t want to, but I needed to do it, and so do u. Let’s be PROACTIVE regarding our HEALTH & stop acting like we all good. Let’s be SURE,” Sanders captioned an Instagram post in 2024.
His advocacy for proactive healthcare became even more personal in 2025, when Sanders faced a serious battle with an aggressive form of bladder cancer. After undergoing surgery to remove his bladder, he publicly announced he was cancer-free and urged men to prioritize routine medical checkups, especially those reluctant to visit the doctor.