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Colorado football’s third season under head coach Deion Sanders got off to a strong start Friday night in Boulder. The Buffaloes’ defense recovered two fumbles and intercepted Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King in the first quarter.
But much of the pregame attention centered on Sanders’ health. In July, Sanders announced doctors had removed his bladder following the discovery of a tumor. The Pro Football Hall of Famer added that there has been no evidence of cancer since the surgery.
Coach Prime returned to the sideline on Friday, but he will not have to go far if he needs privacy.
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Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders speaks about his journey to beating bladder cancer during a news conference in the Touchdown Club, July 28, at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo. (AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Folsom Field now features a mobile bathroom near the Buffaloes’ bench. The portable privacy tent is presented by Depend, an adult undergarment company Sanders has partnered with.
“I wasn’t joking! I truly DEPEND on Depend. Ain’t NO SHAME in taking care of yourself. NO SHAME in getting health screenings. And there certainly ain’t NO SHAME in needing added protection or using Depend to stay in the game. That’s not weakness – that’s WINNING,” Sanders wrote on X last week.
BROWNS’ SHEDEUR SANDERS REVEALS ADVICE FATHER DEION SANDERS GAVE HIM AMID CANCER BATTLE
Depend replied: “No shame at all! We’re proud to help you stay in the game, Coach Prime.”
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks during the Big 12 NCAA college football media day in Frisco, Texas, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Doctors said a section of Sanders’ intestine was reconstructed to function as a bladder.
Sanders faced questions about whether he’d be up for coaching after his health scare. But during a timeout in the second quarter of Thursday’s game, Sanders appeared energized as he engaged in an animated exchange with coaches and players.
During a sitdown with three-time Super Bowl winner Michael Irvin in July, Sanders mentioned he might need the assistance of a “Porta Potty” during football games.
“I know I got halftime, but can I make it through a game?” Sanders asked his former Dallas Cowboys teammate. “What if there’s a long quarter? OK, so I start thinking I gotta get a Porta Potty for the sideline.”
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders waves to the crowd before an NCAA college football game against North Dakota State, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Boulder, Colorado. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
While Sanders faced health challenges away from the field over the offseason, he will now be tasked with navigating his first season without his sons, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders. Quarterback Shedeur is a rookie with the Cleveland Browns, while Shilo, a safety, was waived by the Tampa Buccaneers last week.
After going 4-8 in Sanders’ first year at the helm, Colorado won nine games in 2024, and qualified for a bowl game.
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Colorado and Georgia Tech were tied 20-20 in the fourth quarter late Friday.
New Buffaloes starting quarterback Kaidon Salter completed six of his first 11 passes and threw a touchdown.
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