Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders is back at practice and says he feels better than ever after undergoing major surgery earlier this year. Doctors removed his bladder in May following the discovery of a cancerous tumor, and by late July, Sanders was told he was cancer-free.
Sanders back on the field and ready to win
The 57-year-old coach says he’s been walking at least a mile around campus after each practice as part of his recovery. He missed late spring and early summer workouts but returned to lead the Buffaloes in preseason preparations for the 2025 season.
"I'm healthy, I'm vibrant, and I'm my old self," Sanders said. "I'm loving life right now and doing everything I can to make the most of it."
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Sanders and Buffs set for a new look in 2025
Colorado comes into the fall riding momentum from a strong 2024 campaign, improving from four wins to nine in Sanders’ second year at the helm. However, the roster looks very different this time.
Gone are Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and record-setting quarterback Shedeur Sanders, both now in the NFL. In their place are new faces, including quarterbacks Kaidon Salter and Julian “Ju Ju” Lewis, who are battling for the starting job. The coaching staff also has fresh energy with the addition of Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk, now in charge of the team’s running backs.
Sanders made it clear he wants Colorado to keep climbing. “The next phase is we’re going to win differently, but we’re going to win,” he said. “We want to be physical, and we’re going to run the football hard.”
Life without Shedeur
For the first time, Sanders will watch his son Shedeur from the stands instead of the sidelines. The younger Sanders, now a Cleveland Browns quarterback, will make his preseason debut on August 29 against Carolina.
Deion says the two spoke several times before the game, and while many see it as just another preseason contest, Shedeur is treating it like the real thing. “He’s always been that way,” Deion said. “He prepares like every snap matters.”
Colorado starts the season August 29 at home against Georgia Tech.
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