The Colorado Buffaloes have been slipping, and unfortunately, not quietly either. After a narrow loss against BYU, where they blew a late third-quarter lead, head coach Deion Sanders’ squad fell short against TCU again.
The Horned Frogs sealed a 35–21 win after a fourth-quarter burst of 21 unanswered points, sending Colorado to a 2–4 overall record and a tough 0–3 in the Big 12. They led against BYU and fought hard against TCU, but couldn’t secure the win. However, things seem to be falling apart for CU, not just on the field but also on the sidelines.
As Deion Sanders Prepares for 16th Surgery, Demands Girlfriend Karrueche Tran to ‘Cry’
On the sideline, Coach Prime appeared to be battling something far beyond football. Limping, grimacing, and at times sitting through key plays, Sanders later admitted that the pain wasn’t from the game.
“I think I got more blood clots, outside the bag, all right? I think I got more blood clots,” Sanders said after the game. “It don’t make sense. I’m hurting like crazy. I got a doctor’s appointment on Monday to see what’s going on. I’m not getting blood to my leg, that’s why my leg is throbbing.” That appointment turned into something far more serious.
It has been just a few days since that admission, and now Sanders confirmed he was heading into another medical procedure, his sixteenth in recent years. The Hall of Famer has been dealing with hereditary blood clot issues since 2021, a condition that once forced doctors to amputate two toes from his left foot. The problem resurfaced in his leg this time, leaving him in visible pain during the TCU matchup.
“Surgery No. 16,” Sanders said in a recent video posted by Well Off Media that shows him in the hospital. “That’s something. Sixteen. Good lord Jesus.” The coach added that he was in “crazy pain” but planned to return to practice the next day. And through it all, he still manages to bring humor into the chaos.
“Get Well Soon”: Deion Sanders Undergoes 16th Surgery in 3 Years After Revealing Possible Blood Clots #deionsanders (video credit @DeionSandersJr ) pic.twitter.com/dsdJ40oPoc
— 📍Your Source For Pop Culture News📍 (@AyoVeezy) October 8, 2025
Before heading in for surgery, Sanders looked at girlfriend Karrueche Tran and playfully demanded, “Tears now,” snapping his fingers. “And action!” before pretending to cry. It was classic Coach Prime. The grit comes through more, considering that Sanders even made a touching admission about the last time he was in that hospital room just minutes before.
Earlier this year, Sanders revealed he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of bladder cancer. Doctors were forced to remove his bladder entirely, reconstructing a new one using part of his small intestine. The surgery saved his life, but it came with brutal side effects.
“I remember the last time I was in this room,” Sanders recalled. “And that was the cancer time. They didn’t tell me that the procedure would hurt, excruciating pain when I peed. I was on the floor, curled up, ‘Help me.'”
The aftermath left him dealing with constant discomfort, unpredictable complications, and a body that often refuses to cooperate. Sanders also had to get used to the fact that his new bladder comes with no neurotransmitters, which means he can’t tell when he needs to go.
In true Coach Prime fashion, though, he turned it into comedy. He once joked that some mornings, he and his 13-month-old grandson, Snow, compete to see whose diaper is heavier, “Mine wins sometimes,” he laughed. Yet, he kept coaching.
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Sanders skipped almost nothing, even showing up with a portable loo on the sidelines. Despite his 16th surgery, Sanders expects to return to the sidelines quickly. In fact, he even told ESPN that, “Prayerfully, I’ll be right back tomorrow because I don’t miss practice. I don’t plan on doing such.”
And he just might have to. The Buffaloes host No. 22 Iowa State on Saturday, October 11. Given the team’s current state, the upcoming match will put Sanders and his strategy to the test. If Coach Prime fails, a leadership change might be just around the corner.
