While former Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame defensive back and current Colorado football coach Deion Sanders faces a daunting task in rebuilding his roster after 53 players left the program this offseason, he now faces another challenge off the field as doctors discuss the possibility of amputating his foot.
Sanders posted a video on his Instagram account discussing his options with his medical team.
“As you know, I’ve faced some medical challenges with my foot, but I’ve never said ‘WHY ME,'” the coach wrote in the caption. “I keep moving forward, progressing . . . See you never know what a person may be going through while I sit in your seat of judgment, but you can trust and believe that we are all going through something – just keep the faith and know that if He brought you to it, He will bring you through it . . I’m Coach Prime and I’m built for this. #Coach Prime”
“I have full trust in my medical team, and God Bless, Dr. Ken Hunt (orthopedic surgeon); Dr. Donald Jacobs (vascular surgeon); Dr. Max Wohlauer (vascular surgeon) and @laurenjaskevold Lauren Askevold – and more importantly I have full trust in Jesus!”
Sanders previously had two toes amputated due to a blood clot in his femoral artery, one of the primary blood vessels in the leg.
In the video, which begins text saying, “We all go through something,” Sanders can be seen sitting on a couch as he speaks with his doctors about pain in his foot and potential risks moving forward, and they explain that his blood flow has slowed and arteries have closed off circulation to the area.
“I know it’s dislocated right now, but I don’t have feeling in the bottom of my foot at all,” Sanders tells the medical team. “I just want to know what we can do and if we can do it before the summer because when we get rolling, I’m not going to have the time.”
The medical team urges the coach to rest more, and Dr. Jacobs explains that the arteries could be reopened, but keeping them open would be difficult.
“You can get them open,” Jacobs says, “but the chances of keeping them open are not very good. On the one hand, you’re lucky you’ve got your foot… What’s open looks pretty bad, and it can take a long time…”
Sanders acknowledges their concerns and emphasizes his understanding but explains there is no slowing down for him.
“I know what the risks are,” he says. “I only have eight toes, so I’m pretty sure I understand…I know the risks; we’ve had this conversation before.”
Sanders is entering his first season as the head coach at Colorado after spending the last three as the coach at Jackson State. His team welcomes 77 new players this season in Boulder, including 27 transfers from Division I schools.
The Buffaloes begin their season at TCU at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, September 2.
