On a beautiful Monday morning in Boulder, Colorado, a room filled with reporters and media outlets was noticeably quieter than usual. The atmosphere was tense, not with anticipation of a game or a recruit, but because of the two name tags placed on the conference table: Dr. Janet Kukreja, Director of Urologic Oncology at CU Cancer Center and UCHealth, and Lauren Askevold, Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Colorado Buffaloes. Askevold, a trusted figure who has been by Coach Prime’s side since his days at Jackson State, was present, signaling that this press conference was deeply personal.
When Coach Prime—Deion Sanders—entered the room, the air shifted. Wearing his signature blue overalls, a tan cowboy hat, signature Blenders shades, and multiple gold chains, he lit up the room with his smile. His calm, confident swagger gleaming happy to be back in the fold.
Wasting no time, Coach Prime greeted everyone warmly and introduced Dr. Kukreja and Askevold, immediately dispelling any speculation that he might be stepping down from coaching. Instead, he handed the floor to them to explain what had been unfolding behind the scenes since spring.
Askevold began by explaining that during a routine CT scan, something concerning appeared in Coach Prime’s chart. It led his medical team to recommend further consultation with Dr. Kukreja. She confirmed the presence of an aggressive form of cancer in one of Sanders’ kidneys. When asked how he responded to the news, Askevold said simply, “He said he knows he’s God’s favorite—and that he’s going to overcome this.”
True to form, Coach Prime chose surgery as his path forward, never wavering in his faith. He kept the diagnosis private, choosing not to share it with his younger sons, Shilo and Shedeur—both currently in NFL training camps with the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Instead, he confided in his oldest son, Deion Sanders Jr., and his daughters.
Support poured in behind the scenes. NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss called Coach Prime every day, offering prayers and sharing wisdom from his own battle with a similar condition. In a YouTube video posted to the Well Off Media page, Deion Jr. revealed how he wanted to be at his father’s side every moment. But his father, ever the visionary, encouraged him to document the journey—“to show what God can do.”
Coach Prime expressed deep gratitude for Deion Jr., saying he never left his side. He also shared that not even the coaching staff or players were aware of his diagnosis until just one day before the press conference.
Throughout the event, Sanders showed tremendous resilience. Drawing inspiration from the Book of Job, he shared how God allows trials to ultimately bring Him glory. Coach Prime made it clear: he had no plans of missing any games and was thrilled to be back with his team in Boulder.
“God answers prayers,” he said, with the same unwavering faith that has defined his life on and off the field.
