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• Posted July 30, 2025

Deion Sanders Shares Bladder Cancer Journey, Urges Others to Get Checked

University of Colorado football coach Deion Sanders says he is now cancer-free after an unexpected battle with bladder cancer. Now he’s encouraging others to take charge of their health.

Sanders, 57, spoke openly Monday at a news conference about what he went through, including using adult diapers and adjusting to a new way of life.

"I'm still dealing with going to the bathroom. It's a whole life change," he said. "I'm gonna be transparent. I can't pee like I used to pee. It's totally different."

He said he wakes up four to five times a night to use the bathroom and joked that he has to “depend on Depend,” the adult diaper brand.

"I'm making a joke out of it, but it's real," said Sanders, a two-time Super Bowl champion and Hall of Fame defenseman. "So if you see port-a-potty on the sideline, it's real. I'm just telling you right now, you're gonna see it."

Bladder cancer is a rare type of cancer that begins in the lining of the bladder, the small organ that stores urine, The Cleveland Clinic says.

There are several ways to treat it, including surgery to remove the cancer. Because bladder cancer can return after treatment, it’s important for patients to stay in close contact with their doctors and keep up with regular checkups.

In some cases, like Sanders’, treatment may involve removing the bladder entirely.

Doctors created a new bladder from other tissue in his body. Sanders said he lost about 25 pounds during the treatment. 

He’s since regained some weight and said he feels “strong,” “able” and “ready,” according to CBS News, but noted he’s still about 12 pounds under his usual weight.

One of the earliest signs of bladder cancer is blood in the urine, which is either visible or found through a lab test, The Cleveland Clinic explains. 

While blood in urine doesn’t always mean cancer, it should always be checked out by a doctor. 

Other symptoms can include pain or burning when urinating, needing to go more often than usual, having trouble starting or stopping urine flow or frequent bladder infections that don’t go away with antibiotics.

Even with the challenges, Sanders said he knows he’s not alone and he hopes to reduce the stigma for others dealing with bladder cancer.

"Let's stop being ashamed of it, and let's deal with it, and let's deal with it head-on," he said in the news conference.

Sanders urged people, especially men, to stay on top of their health and get regular screenings.

"Men, everybody, get checked out, because if it wasn't for me getting tested for something else, they wouldn't have stumbled up on this," he said. "Especially African American men, we don't like going to the doctors. We don't like nothing to do with a doctor."

Still, Sanders made it clear his message is for everyone, adding that he's "not just talking to the brothers — I'm talking to my Caucasian brothers, my Hispanic brothers, my Asian brothers, my everybody — and my sisters. Get checked out. Because it could have been a whole other gathering if I hadn't."

More information

The Cleveland Clinic has more on bladder cancer.

SOURCES: University of Colorado, July 28, 2025; CBS News, July 29, 2025