Deion Sanders undergoes procedure to remove blood clots

Colorado. Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders underwent his 16th medical procedure in three years on Tuesday to remove nagging blood clots from his leg. (Photo by Cristian Blanco/Sko Buffs Sports)

Deion Sanders underwent a minor medical procedure on Tuesday to remove a blood clot from his left leg that had caused him pain for several weeks. The Colorado Buffaloes head coach, out for much of the summer as he battled cancer, expects to return to his duties on Wednesday.

The procedure, an aspiration thrombectomy, will use a catheter to remove a blood clot from his left popliteal and tibial arteries. The coach has complained of pain in his left leg for the last week.

On Saturday, during the team's 35-21 loss to the TCU Horned Frogs, Sanders coached most of the fourth quarter with only one shoe on and spent time sitting on a stool. Following the game, he told reporters he thought the pain was coming from blood clots. 

“It doesn’t make sense. I’m hurting like crazy,” Sanders said after Saturday's game. “I’m not getting blood to my leg. That’s why my leg is throbbing.”

Sanders has dealt with a series of health issues during his tenure as a coach. While at Jackson State, the coach had two toes amputated and spent a month in the hospital following complications from a foot surgery. Going into his first season at Colorado in 2023, the coach underwent another foot surgery to deal with pain. 

Last April, Sanders was diagnosed with bladder cancer and had to have the organ removed. Sanders was absent from the public spotlight for most of the summer as he recovered from the surgery. Tuesday’s medical procedure was his 16th in the last three years.

"I'm going to be all right," Sanders said Tuesday. "Prayerfully, I'll be right back tomorrow because I don't miss practice. I don't plan on doing such."