More than a year after undergoing treatment for his health issues, Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders revealed how the diagnosis affected him during the 2025 season, including the physical toll it took while he recovered.

During the Big 12 Conference Football media days in Frisco, Texas, Coach Prime revealed that he was battling with bladder cancer during last year's offseason, admitting he wasn't himself throughout the recovery process.

“I'm feeling d*** good,” Sanders said at the Big 12 Conference Football media day on July 8, according to the Big 12 Conference YouTube channel. “I mean, I'm feeling d*** good… Because I had lost so much d*** weight, and I didn't really want anybody to know. I wasn't - 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.”

Sanders revealed during the 2026 Big 12 Conference Football media days, according to the Big 12 Conference YouTube channel that he was still recovering from surgery when he attended the same event last year.

He said he wore a black suit over a hoodie to hide his weight loss, but realized he still looked frail as his face had become noticeably thinner during his recovery.

Sanders took a break during the 2025 offseason after his cancer diagnosis in April and returned to the sideline following his successful surgery.

He recently revealed that he was "cancer-free" a year after the surgery and expressed excitement to be back as the Colorado Buffaloes' head coach for the fourth season.

"I got that thang back, I got that swagger back, I got that dog back, I got that charisma back," Sanders said, per Bruce Feldman of The Athletic. "I was 15 pounds down, but I'm now ready. I'm back, baby! I cannot wait to get back on that sideline. I'm excited about this season."

After a disappointing 3-9 campaign in 2025, including a 1-8 conference record, Sanders returns healthy and motivated to lead the Buffaloes to bounce back in the 2026 season.

Coach Prime shrugs off Colorado's Preseason All-Big 12 snub

Deion Sanders dismissed the preseason snub, where no Colorado Buffaloes players were named to the 2026 Big 12 preseason All-Conference team.

"We don't care what people say. People are always going to have an opinion," Sanders said during Big 12 Media Days, per Daniel Hager of On3. "Just because our guys were snubbed off a poll that's probably not going to be consistent with the end of the season, we don't give a d***."

The Buffaloes ranked No. 133 out of 134 teams in college football in run defense last season, as they struggled with inconsistent quarterback play and inefficiency on both sides of the ball.

Sanders said that he will take this snub as motivation instead of a setback as he heads into his fourth season with the Buffaloes.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote