Randy Moss and Deion Sanders are friends and share their status as college and professional football legends. They also share the terrifying experience of battling cancer.
In 2024, Moss was unexpectedly diagnosed with Stage 2 bile duct cancer. He spent a year receiving treatment and took time off from his broadcasting job with ESPN to focus on his health and recovery.
So, when he found out that his friend, Deion Sanders, was fighting cancer too, he knew what he had to do.
What Was the Life Lesson Randy Moss Passed That He Learned From His Wife, Lydia?
Moss talked about his fight with ABC News’s Robin Roberts and related how he passed along his wife Lydia’s words of wisdom to Sanders.
“One thing that my wife told me is, ‘Man, get on out here and let the family love you. They miss you,” Moss recalled. “So, that’s the same message I gave Coach Prime, and he did that, and right when he did that, he texted me back a couple days and told me thank you.”
As reported by Sports Illustrated, Moss even visited Sanders and the Buffaloes in Boulder, Colorado, this past weekend.
“I’m gonna be there for my brother,” Moss said in an article by Sports Illustrated. “I know what he stands for cuz I stand for it. Faith, family, and football, those are my three F’s; you could throw fish in there if you want to, Sapp.”
@RandyMoss I Love this dude 2 Life! Good real brother. #CoachPrime pic.twitter.com/HGpazYDkVE
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) September 1, 2025
The joke referenced the Buffaloes’ defensive line coach, and four-time NFL All-Pro, Warren Sapp.
Moss said that his own battle with cancer was not easy. He told Roberts he went into “fight” mode.
“I talk about my faith in the Lord. I talk about how much I love my family. And I talk about the game that I grew up loving at a small age, and that’s football,” he said. “I put one more ‘F’ in that, in that category, and that’s the ‘fight,’ because that’s what I needed to do.”
His wife, Lydia, was his primary caregiver, and Moss, who was always used to doing everything himself, had to develop the grace to accept help from someone else.
Lydia Moss told ABC, “It was hard for me, because he didn’t want our help, because he’s used to doing everything on his own. And as much as he tried to push us away, I think he realized we needed him and he needed us.”
In the end, Randy shared his experience with Deion and then went the extra mile to show up personally for him, which is a testament to their shared experience and friendship.
