Colorado Coach Deion Sanders Opens Up About Painful Cancer Battle On Good Morning America

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders revealed over the summer that he is cancer-free following a battle with bladder cancer. Sanders recently opened up about just how tough it was to fight his battle, and why he chose to share his story with the world.

Feb 6, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Deion Sanders on the red carpet before Super Bowl LIX NFL Honors at Saenger Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

After being away from the team through the offseason, Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders opened up about his cancer diagnosis over the summer. Sanders and his medical team revealed he was battling bladder cancer.

The Colorado coach was diagnosed in April and chose to undergo surgery to remove an aggressive bladder tumor, instead of what could have been a 36-week-long course of chemotherapy. After deciding to have the surgery, Sanders announced he had defeated bladder cancer in July, a positive update on a scary situation.

Sanders Opens Up About Cancer Battle

Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Colorado coach spoke about battling cancer in an exclusive interview with Michael Strahan on "Good Morning America". Sanders opened up to Strahan, a fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer, about his journey battling cancer, noting the pain he felt.

“It was tough,” Sanders said. “So, I remember laying there and they said, ‘Well, you need to go try to pee.’ That was the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt in my life.”

“I remember just on the ground in the bathroom, and I’m just screaming because it was so much pain,” he continued.

During the Big 12 media day in July, Sanders revealed that he lost up to 25 pounds during his fight. He is now opening up about just how painful it really was, but he fought to overcome the battle.

Why Sanders Continued To Tell His Story

Sep 6, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Sanders is no stranger to the spotlight, but he has used this situation as a way to be vulnerable. Sanders, speaking about his battle with bladder cancer, goes beyond just updates; he wants to raise awareness and show others going through the same situation that they are not alone.

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“You know how many people’s goin’ through this foolishness?” Sanders asked. “But men never talk about stuff like this. We hide it cause we wanna be big and strong and massive and not vulnerable. No, man. This is real. This is what I’m dealing with.”

Nov 25, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion 'Coach Prime' Sanders on the field against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images | Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

“I choose to rise up, man, not to stay down. I choose to share,” he continued. “And I want everybody to understand you can make it, man. We all got somethin’ we fightin’. Who out there right now ain’t fighting somethin’? But you can overcome it. We can do this.”

Sanders has made it a point to show his support for fellow cancer survivors and those still battling since he revealed his diagnosis. In July, before his Big 12 media day press conference, Sanders was joined by Parker Rose, a high school football player from Colorado who is battling leukemia.

Sep 20, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Even with a hard-fought battle, Sanders has remained positive throughout his journey and has made light of his diagnosis. Sanders turned the situation into a partnership with Depend, the well-known brand specializing in adult bladder protection.

Sanders was shown support around the football world, from Hall of Famer Michael Irvin to reigning Heisman Trophy winner and Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter. Sanders is one of the most high-profile people in football, but sitting down and being vulnerable is a side not often shown.

Once recovered, Sanders’ attention shifted back to the Colorado Buffaloes. The Colorado Buffaloes are 2-2, working to overcome adversities on the field. The Buffaloes will next face the No. 25 BYU Cougars on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 8:15 p.m. MT.