Deion Sanders’ Tough Week Left Michael Irvin Truly Inspired

Coach Deion Sanders once again showcased his resilience last week when he led the Colorado Buffaloes to an upset win over the Iowa State Cyclones, only four days after undergoing a four-hour surgery for blood clots in his leg.

Former Dallas Cowboys teammate Michael Irvin was on hand for Colorado's first Big 12 Conference win on Saturday and was left impressed by his longtime friend's ability to rally the Buffs despite his health problems. In a recent video posted on his YouTube channel, Irvin shared his thoughts on how Sanders ultimately put his team first throughout the week.

"To see his team recognizing his sacrifice and coming together, beating a team that was ranked and nobody gave them a chance, I'm telling you when I tell you this is the greatest game in the world for so many reasons like this," Irvin said.

Why Michael Irvin Inspired Deion Sanders Resilient Week Colorado Buffaloes Iowa State Blood Clot Surgery Dallas Cowboys Prime — Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks the sidelines in the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Irvin, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, also shared his amazement over "Coach Prime" refusing to cancel or push back practice the day after his surgery.

"He would not say, 'Coach, you guys, take care of it, I'm going to recover," Irvin said. "He would not even move the time of the practice back so that he could recover. He showed up on Wednesday morning. I want to say he showed up 10 toes down, but I'm not even sure how many toes he has left."

Michael Irvin Reacts To Colorado's Win Over Iowa State

Later, Irvin spoke on how Colorado players came together to secure a 24-17 win over the Cyclones. Quarterback Kaidon Salter threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns, wide receiver Joseph Williams had 128 receiving yards and safety Tawfiq Byard overcame an arm injury to record a key interception.

"They understood what it is to be a part of something much bigger than any one other," Irvin said on his YouTube channel. "They were all together. They stayed together, fought together. In the end, they got the win and rose together. I told them, 'Games like this, moments like this, ultimately determines how the rest of this thing we call life goes.'"

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"A Beautiful Story"

"He (Sanders) showed up Wednesday morning and then those boys walked the walk Saturday afternoon," Irvin said. "I was there. I've seen it all. I see that beautiful story, and I say that was a beautiful story. Now, let's see where this thing goes from here after they tasted that victory and togetherness and got that moment."

Moving forward, Colorado will enjoy a bye this weekend before facing the No. 23 Utah Utes on Oct. 25 in Salt Lake City. As announced by the Big 12 Conference on Monday, kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. MT on ESPN.