Colorado CFB Players Discuss Impact of Deion Sanders' Return After Surgery

Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders is back with the team after recovering from bladder cancer, and that's a very welcome sight for his players and coaches, who clearly revere the man entering his third season with the Buffaloes, as noted by Pat Graham of the Associated Press.

“Honestly, just having Coach Prime’s presence back in the building is an amazing feeling,” safety DJ McKinney said. “I feel like everybody just has a chip on their shoulder.”

Sanders underwent surgery to remove his bladder on May 9 after a cancerous tumor was found. The news remained out of the public eye until Monday, when Sanders and his medical team revealed that he was cancer-free.

Sanders is back with the team and will remain its head coach. Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston joyously told of Sanders speaking with him after returning, and he specifically asked his DC how his son Luke was doing playing baseball.

“Prime’s talking about his stance and all these things, and he wants to know how that’s going,” Livingston said. “His leadership is one of one. He’s the Pied Piper — the world will follow him if they just listen to him.”

Sanders was notably a pro football and baseball star in his playing days, landing in the Hall of Fame for his exploits in the former sport. One of his former teammates, safety Omar Stoutmire, now has a son (Carter) playing for Colorado. He also expressed his joy (and relief) seeing him back in action.

“Whatever hardship trials he goes through, he always makes it through,” Stoutmire said. “Seeing him back, just a breath of fresh air for the whole team.”

The 57-year-old Sanders has turned around the Colorado program in two years. Before his arrival, Colorado went 1-11 and had just two winning seasons since 2006. The Buffaloes improved to 4-8 in 2023 before vaulting to 9-4 in 2024, earning the No. 25 overall spot in the final Associated Press poll.

Led by Sanders, Colorado will look to improve upon that finish beginning Aug. 29, when the Buffaloes host Georgia Tech.