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Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes football team, announced for the first time publicly on Monday that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer and that he is now considered “cancer-free.”
Sanders and his medical team spoke at a 40-minute news conference on Monday about his diagnosis and treatment at a news conference, where Sanders said he had no warning or risk factors associated with bladder cancer and urged people to get checked by a doctor early and often.
“Men, everybody, get checked out,” he pleaded, flanked by doctors. “Because if it wasn’t for me getting tested for something else, they wouldn’t have stumbled upon this. And make sure you get the right care, because without wonderful people like this, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here today.”
Despite moments of brevity at the news conference, Sanders stressed the importance of cancer testing, getting emotional at times while speaking.
“Get checked out,” he repeated with emphasis. “It could’ve been a whole other gathering if I hadn’t.”
Sanders thanked his medical team, God, and his family, as well as others who reached out with encouragement.
“Randy Moss called me every other day to make sure I was straight,” he said. “Randy Moss prayed for me, he and his wife told me what I need to be doing — he’s gone through some things very similar (…) he gave me so much strength and so much guidance and so much love, respect, and appreciation. Thank you, Randy, I really appreciate you.”
Figures from around the sports world expressed a range of reactions from relief that Sanders was now cancer-free to gratitude for his urging of others to be proactive about their health.
“You LOVE to see it,” former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III wrote on X. “God’s got your back always.”
Earvin “Magic” Johnson, the NBA Hall of Famer, tweeted, “I’m happy to hear that my friend Deion Sanders has been cleared of cancer. I’ll be praying that God continues to bless him with good health and lifelong prosperity!”
Michael Strahan, NFL Hall of Famer, wrote on X that he was “Proud of my brotha,” and went on to praise his work as a coach and a mentor.
“He has continued to fight and do it while using his platform to help others. Love you my man… and can’t wait to see you back out there doing what you are meant to do, COACH!!” Strahan continued. “If you don’t believe he’s doing this for the love of the kids and giving young men and women an opportunity on and off the field, I respectfully ask you to please think again.”
Austen Erblat is a digital producer and assignment editor at CBS News Colorado and is Covering Colorado First. Originally from South Florida, he’s been working as a journalist in Denver since 2022.
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©2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Deion Sanders' "cancer-free" announcement draws relief, gratitude across the sports world – CBS News
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