Deion Sanders Needs Additional Surgeries on Foot and Leg to Address Blood Clots

Deion Sanders is undergoing more surgeries to treat blood clots in his legs.

On Wednesday, the coach of the University of Colorado Buffaloes, 55, shared on Instagram that he is having “a couple of surgeries,” meaning he will miss the Pac-12 media day in Las Vegas on Friday. 


“Following my Dr’s recommendations and will be going in for another procedure. Unfortunately this means I will not be in attendance of Pac-12 media day BUT this will ensure I am back on my feet for the start of fall camp. Good day and God bless #CoachPrime @cubuffsfootball,” the former NFL star wrote alongside a video posted on his Instagram the day before his surgery. 


“I want you to hear it from the horse,” Sanders began in the clip “I apologize that I’m not going to be at the Pac-12 media day, due to I have to have another surgery tomorrow, couple of surgeries pretty much, couple of surgeries. One in my leg as well to remove all the clots.”


He then got the camera to do a close-up of his left foot and said, “This is gonna be the last time my toes look like that, you see how they’re all bent over.” 






The NFL Hall of Famer had his left big toe and second toe amputated in 2021 due to blood clots after surgery. 


Sanders then asked Lauren Askevold, who is Colorado’s assistant athletic trainer, to “tell them what they’re going to do” to his toes during the surgery on Thursday.


Askevold explained, “They’re going to straight them out … They’re going to fix these two toes so they don’t cause any more pain in the shoes.”






Sanders, who had blood clots removed in his left leg last month, went on to say they’re “gonna get the blood clots out” of his right leg during his latest surgeries on Thursday. 


Thanking everyone for their “prayers” and “wishes” in the video, the NFL Hall of Famer concluded the clip by saying Colorado will be “well represented” at the Pac-12 media day and added, “I promise you when we go to TCU I’m running out in front of our team.”


On Thursday, Sanders’ long-time partner Tracey Edmonds shared a photo of herself standing next to him in a hospital bed ahead of his surgery. “It’s Round Two today, but we’re prayed up and READY!” she wrote alongside the post, which also featured Askevold. “We know that God has His arms around #CoachPrime @deionsanders. Please continue to keep him in your prayers! We love and appreciate you! 🙏🏽❤️ @laurenjaskevold #Godisthegreatest.”


Deion and his son Shedeur, who plays for the Colorado Buffaloes.

Justin Ford/Getty


In an Instagram video shared ahead of his June surgery to treat the blood clots in his left leg, Sanders said that “there’s no talk of amputation,” of his and added that doctors had only mentioned that “worst come to worst” amputation could happen. 


In a statement shared with PEOPLE, University of Colorado Boulder said, “Following the success of his last procedure and upon advice of his doctors, Coach Prime is scheduled for a subsequent, routine follow-up procedure on July 20.”


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Sanders was announced as Colorado’s new head coach in December, after two years leading Jackson State University. His son Shedeur, 21, followed him from Jackson State to Colorado and will likely be the team’s starting quarterback in 2023, according to the outlet. 

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