In an unexpected mid-offseason curveball, the Colorado Buffaloes will open the offseason grind to prepare for the 2025–2026 college football season without their charismatic head coach, Deion Sanders. A mere two months away from the opener, which is slated for Aug. 29, the NFL Hall-of-Famer is taking what he promises will be a brief leave of absence to address an unspecified health problem with fans and sports media worried. The 57-year-old, who fans affectionately call “Coach Prime,” is recovering at his home in Texas. While neither the university nor its spokespeople have issued detailed updates, his eldest son, Deion Sanders Jr., gave a welcome dose of clarity and calm during a recent YouTube livestream, telling viewers that his father is “feeling well.”
“He’ll tell y’all soon enough what he’s going through, what he went through,” Sanders Jr. promised. “When we get back to Boulder, I don’t know. I’m waiting until my dad leaves. When he leaves, then I’ll go. Until then, I’m going to sit here with him.” That message, even truncated, speaks to both the gravity of Sanders’ condition and the strength of the family bond that kept the Sanders dynasty intact. However, doubts remain about when Coach Prime will return to Boulder to guide the Buffaloes through a critical season.
There have already been visible voids with Sanders out. He missed Colorado’s much-anticipated annual summer football camps, crucial events for building culture and selling the program to high school prospects. He was also due to be the main speaker at a symposium presented by The Foundation for Sickle Cell Research (TFSCR) in Florida. However, NBA great Magic Johnson came in as the featured speaker. The official statement from TFSCR mirrored the mystery surrounding the nature of Sanders’ situation, stating only that he had pulled out and provided no explanation. The secrecy around him has only bred speculation, but the commentary has remained respectful and understanding.
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It is particularly noticeable that his silence is deafening for a larger-than-life figure like Sanders. Throughout his run leading Colorado, he’s been capturing the attention of fans with impassioned speeches, dedication to player development, and a hunger to attract top-tier talent to a program that, not too long ago, was in the depths of despair. His own personal battles after already going through multiple surgeries due to blood clots and foot problems certainly haven’t diminished his motivation. But this most recent pause is a stark reminder that even the most high-profile are not immune from life’s travails. This puts Sanders’s health and well-being ahead of game planning and press clippings.
An uncertain beginning to the Buffaloes’ future aside, the Buffs are still on the national radar, boosted partly by Sanders’ magnetic brand and the enthusiasm he’s brought to the program. The coaches and other staffers were running the show with Reich gone, though no official word has been issued on who has taken over on an interim basis. Whether Deion Sanders ever returns, he has left his impact on the team. And if his son’s message is any indication, fans may not have to wait long to hear directly from Coach Prime. Until then, the football world will hold its breath and send its best wishes.
