Deion Sanders underwent his 16th surgery on Tuesday, but that did not deter the Pro Football Hall of Famer from returning to Colorado practice the following day.
Per Bleacher Report, the Colorado Buffaloes head coach went under the knife for the 16th time on Tuesday to fix blood clot issues in his left leg. This also isn’t the first time Sanders, 58, has experienced a health setback of such nature, as two toes on his left foot were amputated due to his blood clot issues in 2021, Face2Face Africa previously reported.
After Tuesday’s surgery, Sanders’ son, Deion Sanders Jr., posted a video showing his father at the Buffaloes’ practice facilities on Wednesday.
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Sanders’ surgery also came after he touched on his health struggles after the Buffaloes lost 35-21 against the TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday, PEOPLE reported.
“Cat’s out of the bag, all right. I think I’ve got more blood clots,” Sanders informed the media after the match. “It don’t make sense. I’m hurting like crazy. I’m not getting blood to my leg. That’s why my leg is throbbing.”
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Despite his condition, the Super Bowl champion emphasized on Tuesday that he was surely returning to practice the following day.
“I’m going to be all right,” Sanders said on Tuesday, ESPN reported. “Prayerfully, I’ll be right back tomorrow because I don’t miss practice. I don’t plan on doing such.”
Sanders has, in recent times, been open about his health issues. On July 28, he opened up about being diagnosed with bladder cancer and having to go under the knife to remove the tumorous organ, Face2Face Africa reported at the time.
Per ESPN, Sanders disclosed that no traces of cancer had been found after he underwent the surgery to remove his bladder, adding that he was now going to return to his coaching duties this season.
Sanders also disclosed that he lost around 25 pounds. Colorado team trainer Lauren Askevold said that the tumor was found in Sanders’ bladder when he underwent a usual routine vascular exam as a result of issues with blood clots in his legs.
Dr. Janet Kukreja, the director of urological oncology at University of Colorado Cancer Center, confirmed that Sanders had been “cured of cancer,” and that was a “word” she did not use “lightly.” Kukreja said that a new bladder for Sanders was made with a portion of his small intestine.
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