Deion Sanders details 'excruciating' cancer pain after bladder removal, returns to Colorado sidelines

Deion Sanders has told Good Morning America that he endured excruciating pain after doctors removed his bladder as part of treating an aggressive cancer, detailing a moment when he was found screaming on the bathroom floor. The pain followed a procedure to rebuild his bladder using a portion of his intestine, during which doctors instructed him to try to urinate, a step he described as among the most intense he has ever experienced.

Sanders, 58, revealed in July that a tumor in his bladder had been removed after his cancer diagnosis was disclosed at a July press conference. He recalled that moment in which the medical team outlined his treatment options, including bladder removal or a course of chemotherapy spanning 36 weeks. "That was the most excruciating pain I've ever felt in my life," he said, describing the bathroom-floor memory and the scream that followed. "I remember just on the ground in the bathroom, and I'm just screaming because it was so much pain."

After tests confirmed an aggressive cancer, Sanders said he prayed on his options and chose to be aggressive. "I prayed on it. And I'm aggressive, man," he said, adding that he did not want to wait to see what would happen. "I ain't waiting. I ain't sitting back on the curb waiting to go slowly but surely do whatever's gonna happen." He opted for surgery nine days after his diagnosis, a decision that included removing the bladder and reconstructing it with intestinal tissue.

Sanders has since returned to the Buffaloes’ sideline, though he continues to manage life after bladder removal. The Colorado program has even outfitted him with a personal toilet on the sideline, a logistical adaptation that underscored the practical realities of his ongoing recovery. He has spoken publicly about managing the physical toll, noting that he sometimes goes through two pairs of Depends per night and that, despite the hardship, he intends to keep fighting and to share his journey to help others facing adversity. "I want everybody to understand you can make it. We've all got something to fight. Who out there isn't fighting something? It may not be cancer, but it's something. But you will overcome. We can do this," he told viewers.

The revelation comes as Sanders provided a broader view of his health history. In July, he said he had lost about 25 pounds since his cancer began to surface on a routine CT scan of his vascular system. He has endured multiple surgeries since 2021, including leg and foot procedures in 2022 and 2023, which included the amputation of two toes. He has discussed his health publicly before, including telling a family YouTube channel that he had prepared a will amid his medical battles.

On the field, Sanders’s Colorado squad has started the season with a 2-2 record, most recently defeating Wyoming 37-20. He has returned to the sideline as a coach while continuing to navigate the challenges of his health, emphasizing resilience and the message that personal battles do not have to define a player’s or a team’s future. The coach has repeatedly connected his fight to the team’s ethos, urging his players and fans to “rise up” in the face of adversity.

As Sanders moves forward, his story has drawn attention not only for his success on the field but for his willingness to discuss the pain and uncertainty that accompanies serious illness. Colorado’s coach has stressed that his experience offers a broader message about perseverance and leadership under pressure, both for his team and for viewers watching his courageous public facing of cancer treatment and recovery.