Deion Sanders Battling 'Unspecified Illness,' Has Been Absent From Colorado Football Program

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has been away from his football team and staying at his Texas residence as he deals with an ‘unspecified illness’ that has kept him from returning to Boulder. 

As first reported by USA Today, Sanders has been absent for the start of Colorado's summer training camp, while Buffaloes athletic trainer Lauren Askevold has been making trips to Texas to help with his recovery from this illness. 

This is a busy time of year for football teams across the sport, as camps continue for potential prospects, while the Colorado squad is going through their regular conditioning workouts that are pivotal for the upcoming season. 

Last month, Deion Sanders appeared on a podcast hosted by Asante Samuel, where he briefly mentioned that an illness has kept him out of the spotlight since his son, Shedeur Sanders, was drafted by the Cleveland Browns. 

While they did not get into specifics, Deion did say to Samuel that "What I’m dealing with right now is at whole other level" while discussing the ongoing illness. 

The Colorado athletic department is not commenting on the news, according to a spokersperson. 

Deion Sanders absent from Colorado football facility as he battles illness Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There have been instances in the past where the Colorado head coach has dealt with health issues, most recently the blood clots that led to Sanders having two of his toes amputated. While this current situation is unknown, his son, Deion Sanders Jr., took to social media on Sunday to provide folks with an update on his father. 

"He’ll tell y’all soon enough what he going through, what he went through," Deion Jr Sanders said on the YouTube livestream. 

Although his son pointed out that Deion was ‘feeling well,' there was not a timetable for when the Colorado coach would return to Boulder. 

"When we get back in Boulder, I don’t know," Deion Jr. said on the June 8th stream. "I’m waiting until my dad leaves. When he leaves, then I’ll go. Until then, I’m gonna sit here with him."

Sanders was scheduled to appear at an event in Florida this past weekend, but had to cancel due to an ‘unavoidable last-minute scheduling change,' according to The Foundation For Sickle Cell Research. 

While the illness is still yet to be fully discussed, we wish Deion Sanders a speedy recovery and hope to see him back at the Colorado football facility soon.