Colorado coach Deion Sanders said he is still recovering from his undisclosed health issue ahead of reporting to campus in Boulder for preseason football practice.
“You know I’m still going through something,” Sanders said in a YouTube video posted by his son Deion Sanders Jr. on Monday. “I ain’t all the way recovered.”
The video showed Sanders and his daughter Shelomi preparing to step into an ice bath. Sanders’ quotes were featured in a voiceover added to the video, which also showcased his active lifestyle. It featured Sanders taking a tennis lesson, shooting hoops and walking/running 1.3 miles with Shelomi.
At Big 12 media days nearly two weeks ago, Sanders took the stage in his first public appearance since April and refused to discuss his health issue. He hasn’t publicly stated the nature of the problem that’s kept him away from campus.
“I’m not here to talk about my health,” Sanders said. “I’m here to talk about my team.”
Sanders also participated in a coaches roundtable and did two on-air interviews with ESPN at Big 12 media days.
“Average day? I’m looking good,” he said when asked what his day-to-day life looked like during his time away from campus. “I’m living lovely. God has truly blessed me. Not a care in the world. Not a want or desire in the world.”
Sanders hosted an NFL Draft party at his home for his son Shedeur in April, but hadn’t made any public appearances since the Buffaloes’ spring game on April 19. Shedeur was projected by some to be a top pick in the draft, but slid to the fifth round, where the Cleveland Browns selected him.
Colorado athletic director Rick George told The Athletic at Big 12 media days that he expected Sanders to return to campus “in a week or two, probably.” George said the two had been in constant contact since Sanders left campus to deal with his health and recover at his ranch in Canton, Texas, in late April.
A person briefed on the situation told The Athletic that Sanders was in touch with his coaching staff daily but did not appear at Colorado’s youth camps during his absence and wasn’t on campus during a feverish, five-week recruiting contact period during the summer.
Sanders has a history of blood clot issues, and in 2021, had two toes amputated. In 2023, he had surgery to relieve the clots that kept him from attending Pac-12 media days and spent most of that offseason in pain and limping before reaching his stated goal of running out on the field with his team to begin the season.
Last month, Sanders posted on X that he would update people once he returned to Boulder and was excited to be on campus.
Colorado begins preseason football practice later this month and opens its season against Georgia Tech on Aug. 29.
(Photo: Ron Chenoy / USA Today Sports)
Jenna West is a staff editor on The Athletic's news team. Before joining The Athletic, she served as a writer and producer for Sports Illustrated's national news desk. Jenna is a graduate of Northwestern University.
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