NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders Reveals He Had His Bladder Removed After Cancer Diagnosis

NFL legend Deion Sanders has revealed that he had his bladder removed after doctors found a cancerous tumor.

Sanders’ bladder has been replaced with a neobladder. a reconstructed bladder made from part of his intestines.

The 57-year-old head coach of the University of Colorado Buffaloes held a press conference on July 28 with his medical team to give an update on his health as the start of the college football season approaches.

“This was not an easy task,” Sanders said of battling cancer. He became emotional while recalling his “tremendous journey” and said, “You have no idea how good God has been to me for me to be here.”

Buffaloes assistant athletic trainer Lauren Askevold explained that Sanders was referred to a urologist after a routine CT scan revealed he had a bladder tumor. Sanders was receiving routine CT scans due to his history of blood clots.

Sanders said that the bladder removal was his 14th surgery since 2020, the year he began his previous head coaching job, at Jackson State University. Most of Sanders’ surgeries have been related to his blood clots, which led to the amputation of two of his toes and both sides of his left calf in 2021, according to USA Today.

Sanders took the head coaching position for the Colorado Buffaloes in 2022.

Sanders thanked his medical staff and his oldest son, Deion Sanders Jr., for guiding him through “every darn detail” of the process. He also urged people to “get checked out” if they have symptoms of an illness. “If it wasn’t for me getting tested for something else, they wouldn’t have stumbled upon this,” he said. “Make sure you get the right care because without wonderful people like this, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here today, because [the tumor] grew so expeditiously.”

Sanders, who will turn 58 on Aug. 9, said he lost 25 pounds during the ordeal and still struggles with “using the bathroom.” He joked, “If you see a porta-potty on the sideline, it’s real.”

He also said he now has a partnership with the undergarment company Depend, saying, “I depend on Depend, if you know what I mean.”

Janet Kukreja, M.D., the director of urological oncology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, explained that Sanders had a “high-grade” tumor that needed to be removed. The tumor was diagnosed to be non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

NMIBC is limited to the tissue lining the bladder, not the bladder muscle itself, according to the Urology Care Foundation.

“I am pleased to report that the results from the surgery are that he is cured from the cancer,” Kukreja said.

Sanders will undergo regular scans to ensure the cancer remains controlled.

After missing most of the 2025 offseason because of his illness, Sanders said he plans to return as head coach of the Buffaloes for the 2025–2026 college football season.

AARP has information on signs of bladder cancer and ways your urine can reveal certain aspects of your health.