Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders revealed that he dealt with bladder cancer this spring, resulting in a surgery during which his bladder was removed.
As “Coach Prime” went through this health scare, his son Shedeur Sanders was preparing for his first year in the NFL.
Shedeur, a fifth-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in April, spoke with reporters on Monday at training camp, and he revealed what his father’s message was to him during this tough time for the family.
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“Dad, he’s one person that — he’ll handle his; we handle what we’ve got to do,” Shedeur, whose brother Shiloh is also fighting for a roster spot on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said. “It was like, ‘Y’all need to focus on what y’all could focus on. Y’all can’t sit here and feel sorry for me.’ … At the end of the day, you’re all able to see and you’re all able to understand everything on and off the field that I go through.
“So, then you’ve got to be some type of human at some point in the way I’m doing everything and how I’m handling everything that’s thrown at me. You’ve got no choice but to applaud that.”
Deion Sanders announced his health scare, which had been speculated about for months by football fans, on July 28 alongside Buffaloes doctors.
DEION SANDERS REVEALS HE FOUGHT BLADDER CANCER
The 57-year-old Pro Football Hall of Famer and coach had “very high-risk, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer,” according to his oncologist. He is now cancer-free.
“We removed the tumor. It was very high-grade and invading through the bladder wall,” said Dr. Janet Kukreja, urological oncology director at CU Anshutz. “I am pleased to report that the results from the surgery are that he is cured from the cancer.”
The cancer could have spread to the muscle, according to Dr. Kukreja, which happens in about half of cases.
“Only about 10% of people live five years, even with our current medical treatment, if it metastasizes,” she added.
So, as Shedeur mentioned, it really has been quite the rollercoaster off the field for him since he left his father’s program to join the NFL ranks.
It began with possibly being a first-round draft pick, only to fall to Day 3 when the Browns finally took him off board in the fifth round at 144th overall. The Browns had previously drafted Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, a fellow Heisman Trophy finalist, in the third round.
It’s considered by many to be the worst fall in a draft class, but Shedeur has been nothing but positive about his opportunity with Cleveland.
The Browns, though, have him listed as fourth on their current depth chart on their site, which isn’t a definitive ranking among the quarterbacks in the locker room. However, it does give good direction as to where head coach Kevin Stefanski is looking in that regard.
Joe Flacco, who led the Browns to the playoffs two seasons ago, returned to the team as the presumptive starter. Kenny Pickett, though, is dealing with a hamstring injury, as is Gabriel right now. Shedeur also missed Saturday’s practice due to arm soreness.
Shedeur hasn’t taken any first-team snaps, as the Browns are slow-playing his development early in camp. As such, Shedeur didn’t want his father showing up in Berea, Ohio, the home of the Browns’ facility, like he did in Tampa Bay where Shiloh is competing at safety.
“I don’t want him to come and see me get a couple of reps, and then he’s cheering like a good dad,” Shedeur said. “Like, ‘Nah, you can’t be proud of me right now. I got to get to where I’m going.’ I know there’s a lot I’ve got to do to get there. I just want everything that I’m doing to be focused on this time, and I don’t want distractions.
“We know how everybody would take it, as taking away from the team, with my own dad showing up. It’s a gift and a curse at the same time.”
Shedeur says he’s looking forward to the Browns’ first preseason game, which comes this Friday against the Carolina Panthers.
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