“We’re going to beat it, ain’t we?” Deion Sanders asked one of his doctors, Dr. Janet Kukreja, during a press conference in Boulder last year, when he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer earlier that spring. But thanks to timely treatment and his determination to be there for his family, Coach Prime ultimately defeated the disease, prompting Kukreja to respond, “It’s beaten.”

But beating cancer was only part of the journey. The recovery process proved just as challenging, with the Hall of Famer losing a significant amount of weight.

“I’m feeling darn good,” said Sanders. “I was saying last year this time, I had on, I think a black suit, had a hoodie on up under it, and I had on shorts up under it, so the suit would fit because I had lost so much darn weight, and I didn’t really want anybody to know, but I know my face was small and I was going through it. I wasn’t me, and I’m thankful this year that I’m me. I’m all me now, and I’m happy, I’m elated, I’m excited.

Before his diagnosis, Sanders had been dealing with significant vascular health issues for years. In 2021, blood clots in his left leg resulted in multiple surgeries and the amputation of two toes. As a result, Sanders continued receiving routine follow-up CT scans and medical monitoring even after recovery. Those routine scans, however, led to the discovery of his bladder tumor.

Dr. Kukreja described Sanders’ condition as “a very high-grade tumor invading through the bladder wall.” At the time of his diagnosis, the cancer had not fully invaded the bladder muscle. However, it was considered very aggressive, with a high risk of progression or recurrence if not treated aggressively.

Eventually, Deion Sanders underwent a bladder removal surgery with the “creation of a new bladder,” per his doctor. The surgical procedure included robot-assisted radical cystectomy, involving the removal of the entire bladder and reconstruction of his urinary system via neobladder. Instead of living permanently with an external urine collection bag, surgeons used part of his intestine to construct a new internal bladder.

In the process, however, Sanders lost a lot of weight, which the former NFL star later acknowledged.

“I’m thankful,” Sanders said after beating the cancer. “It has been a tremendous journey. It’s been tough. I think I dropped 25 pounds. … Just dealing with a catheter, dealing with all of the stuff I had to deal with. Right now, I’m still dealing with going to the bathroom. It’s a whole life change.”

Now, it’s been a year since Deion Sanders became a cancer survivor, as Coach Prime is all set to start his fourth season as the Buffaloes’ head coach.