Deion Sanders refuses to let a little thing like age prevent him from getting after it.
In 2022, while he was recovering from foot surgery after losing a few toes, the outspoken Dallas Cowboys legend laid down the gauntlet in the gym.
The then 55-year-old said that he could out-bench his assistant Sam Malone, his son Deion ‘Bucky’ Jr., and wide receivers coach Rashad ‘Shadd’ Davis.
Malone went first and hit one rep of 245 pounds. Bucky went second and couldn’t get 245. Coach Shadd went third and threw up four reps of 245.
Despite not warming up and wearing a hoodie, winter jacket, gold chains, a hat, and sunglasses, Coach Prime threw up six reps of 245 pounds.
The legendary NFL cornerback, who won two Super Bowls in the 1990s and even crossed over to MLB to play in the World Series, had two toes amputated after a medical setback in 2021.
He lost his left big toe and second toe after clots blocked blood flow to his foot.
The surgery also led to the removal of the sides of his left calf.
Sanders, who was coach of Jackson State at the time, was in the hospital for 23 days in October of that year, and missed three games before returning to the sidelines in an electric wheelchair.
In a 2022 documentary, Sanders also described how tough he found being in hospital, faced with the fear of never walking again.
“The hardest thing of all was to look down there, and see that, and understand that once upon a time, you were this type of athlete,” he said.
“And you don’t even know if you’re going to walk, because all you feel is pain. And you just want to get out of this hospital.”
Deion Sanders revealed he had overcome bladder cancer
More recently, the Colorado Buffaloes head coach revealed that he had been diagnosed with a highly aggressive form of bladder cancer.
Speaking alongside his doctor at a press conference in July, Sanders confirmed that he was diagnosed with a tumor in his bladder that had to be surgically removed.
“I am pleased to report that the results from the surgery are that he is cured from the cancer,” said Doctor Janet Kukreja.
Prime Time was emotional during his statement.
“I always knew I was going to coach again,” Sanders said. “I was always going to coach. It was never in my spirit or heart that God wouldn’t allow me to coach again.”
Primetime’s diagnoses came on April 14 as his sons Shedeur and Shilo were busy preparing for the NFL Draft.
Shedeur has since told his father not to attend Cleveland Browns training camp, despite other rookies and top NFL stars having been visited by their families.
“I don’t want him to come and see me and get a couple of reps and he’s cheering like a good dad,” Sanders explained. “You can’t be proud of me right now. I gotta get to where I’m going.“
The younger Sanders then went out and put the league on notice against the Carolina Panthers in preseason when he threw 138 passing yards and two touchdowns through three-and-a-half quarters of action, as well as tacking on an additional 19 yards rushing.
As it stands, Shedeur sits behind veteran – and fan favorite – Joe Flacco, an injured Kenny Pickett, and third-round draft selection, Dillon Gabriel.
Sanders then suffered another dent in his pursuit of climbing up the depth chart after he picked up a minor oblique injury.
Gabriel started against the Eagles on Saturday. He went 13-of-18 passing for 143 yards, but also had an interception that resulted in a pick-6 as well as two sacks and a lost fumble in the 22-13 victory.
However, Gabriel’s postgame remarks dominate the post game narrative, which many perceived to be a dig at Sanders.
One person who thought Gabriel was taking a shot at Sanders was NFL legend and Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe — who went in on the rookie on his Nightcap podcast.
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