NCAAF News: Buffaloes HC Deion Sanders sends clear message about his current health status

Following his successful last campaign in the NCAAF, Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders kept a low profile, with few media appearances. It was later revealed that Coach Prime had been undergoing treatment for bladder cancer—a battle that, fortunately, ended with a positive outcome.

It was in late July when the charismatic HC revealed what he had been going through, leaving nearly everyone at the press conference in shock. Sanders was accompanied by the medical team that had been treating him throughout the process.

Now fully recovered and with a tough College Football season ahead, he took some time to speak with the media and share how he’s feeling heading into the upcoming campaign with his program.

“I’m good,” Deion Sanders said. “Thank you. I’m healthy. I’m vibrant. I’m my old self. We walk every day after practice around campus, at least a mile. I’m loving life right now. I’m trying my best to live to the fullest, considering what transpired.”

Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes walks on the field during the Black and Gold Spring Game at Folsom Field on April 19, 2025 in Boulder, Colorado.

Sanders returns to the practice field

Much anticipation surrounded Deion Sanders’ return to practice in Boulder, as a new season in the Big 12 awaits his Buffaloes once again. Robert Livingston, the team’s current defensive coordinator, was one of the most enthusiastic about this situation.

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“Who he is as a person, we talked about that. I haven’t seen him in a long time. Friday, we have a staff meeting and we’re kind of talking one-on-one. We’re having a conversation and the first thing he asks about is my family. We talked about Luke played baseball, my son. Prime’s talking about his stance and all these things and he wants to know how that’s going. It’s just a testament to who he is,” Livingston said.

“Obviously, his leadership is one-of-one. He’s the pied piper. The world would follow him if they just listen to him. We’re blessed. We’re talking about a life here. So this football stuff, it doesn’t really matter at the end of the day. But it’s a testament to who he was. He keeps a tight inner circle. He was away and we were working, just knowing that when he comes back he’s going to hit the ground running.”

High expectations in Boulder

Following a promising 9-4 season, the Colorado Buffaloes are now entering a new phase under Coach Deion Sanders without star quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman winner Travis Hunter, who both departed for the NFL. With the two generational talents gone, Coach Prime is shifting his focus from relying on individual greatness to building a stronger, more cohesive team.

He has retooled the roster through the transfer portal, prioritizing improvements in the offensive and defensive lines and adding a different style of quarterback in transfer Kaidon Salter. Sanders believes this new approach, emphasizing physicality and a more balanced attack, will be the key to overcoming the high-profile departures and leading the Buffaloes back into playoff contention.