Deion Sanders' Son Says Fathers' Return to Boulder Uncertain in Surprise Update
Deion Sanders' Son Says Fathers' Return to Boulder Uncertain in Surprise Update originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Colorado Buffaloes may be charging toward the 2025 season, but their head coach, Deion 'Coach Prime' Sanders, is far from the spotlight, and that absence is raising concern.
Advertisement
Sanders, 57, has been holed up at his estate in Canton, Texas, quietly grappling with an undisclosed health issue that has sidelined him from team activities and a prominent speaking engagement. While speculation swirls, his eldest son, Deion Sanders Jr., offered a rare update from their home, aiming to reassure fans, but leaving the timeline for his father's return open-ended.
'He'll tell y'all soon enough what he going through, what he went through,' Sanders Jr. said on a YouTube livestream on June 8. 'When we get back in Boulder, I don't know. I'm waiting until my dad leaves. When he leaves, then I'll go.'
Coach Prime's absence was particularly notable at Colorado's annual summer football camps, an event he attended in both 2023 and 2024. His involvement is not only expected by fans but contractually outlined by the university. Yet this year, his presence has only been felt in marketing materials, not on the field.
More fuel was added to the fire when Sanders abruptly canceled a high-profile keynote appearance at The Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research symposium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on June 8. NBA Hall-of-Famer Magic Johnson was brought in last-minute to replace him. The official reason given: an 'unavoidable last-minute scheduling change.' But with Sanders' known health history, including multiple surgeries due to blood clots and the amputation of two toes, the cancellation has fans fearing something more serious.
Advertisement
Sanders hinted at the severity during a rare public appearance on Asante Samuel's podcast, Say What Needs to Be Said. 'I lost about 14 pounds,' he said. 'I'm coming back, but I needed this… What I'm dealing with right now is at whole other level.'
Despite the weight loss and his disappearance from the public eye, those close to Sanders insist he's on the mend. CU athletic trainer Lauren Askevold, who's been by his side through previous complications, is reportedly with him in Texas. And his son insists he's 'feeling well.'
Deion Sanders and his son Deion Sanders Jr.Deion Sanders Jr./Well Off Media
But until Coach Prime reappears on the sidelines in Boulder, fans are left with questions, and growing concern.
Advertisement
The Buffaloes are set to open their 2025 season against Georgia Tech on Aug. 29, with national expectations riding high following Sanders' five-year, $54 million extension. Now the biggest question isn't about quarterback battles or recruiting classes, it's about whether Coach Prime will be physically ready to lead.
Related: Tony Grossi Has Words for Shedeur Sanders Hype: 'He's a Developmental QB'
Related: Jordan Domineck Joins Athlon Sports as College Football Reporter
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
32 minutes ago
- New York Times
How Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers put all NBA Finals pressure on Thunder
The Bounce Newsletter | This is The Athletic's daily NBA newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Bounce directly in your inbox. This is just a great date for some good, nostalgic basketball names. Happy birthdays to Jrue Holiday (35), Sergio Rodriguez (39), Ray McCallum (34), Earl Watson (46), Antawn Jamison (49), Lee Mayberry (55), Jason Caffey (52), Kerry Kittles (51) and Rory Sparrow (67). I feel like I just opened up a pack of basketball cards. This is why they're (W)Indiana Pacers! If before Game 3, I told you the Thunder would make 46.8 percent of their shots, 45.5 percent of their 3-pointers, get to the free-throw line 30 times, out-rebound the Pacers by six and get a combined 70 points on 24-of-53 shooting (45.2 percent) from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, you'd probably feel pretty good about them going up 2-1 in the series. And yet, the Thunder fell to the Pacers 116-107 on the road because the Pacers were able to give the Thunder a taste of their own medicine. Advertisement All season and postseason long, the Thunder have made their opponents' lives miserable by forcing turnovers and giving the stress of quick points coming the other way off those turnovers. But that's what happened to them in Game 3. The Pacers were the aggressors in the turnover department, forcing 19 of those mistakes by OKC and turning it into 21 points. Indiana turned it over 14 times and kept it to 14 points allowed off those turnovers. And it was the Pacers' star guard who set the tone early and often in leading his team to victory. Tyrese Haliburton took a lot of criticism after Game 2. He wasn't as aggressive as people wanted. The one bit of solace was he got going late in the blowout loss, which could have been a tactic by Rick Carlisle to just get his star guard going a little bit to carry into the next game at home. Whatever it was, it worked. Haliburton was great in Game 3, totaling 22 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. He generated 25 points off those 11 assists. He was the star Indiana needed him to be. There were three big keys to grabbing this victory in Game 3 at home: Now, the Pacers have maintained the home-court advantage through three games, after stealing it in Game 1 in OKC. But now it's time for the Panic Meter: 🚨🚨🚨🚨 for OKC. The Thunder can't go down 3-1. Game 4 is Friday night. Do the Pelicans have their draft-day answer? 🤔 Go big? Maybe the Pelicans need to just draft a big man. Khaman Maluach is huge. Check out Sam Vecenie's new mock for more! 🏀 Not so easy? Haliburton being more aggressive isn't so simple here. Watch the breakdown. 🏀 Another surgery. Jaylen Brown had an operation on his right knee, but he should be fine by training camp. ⚽ Jimmy Goals? A group based in the United States is attempting to buy Crystal Palace. Jimmy Butler is a part of this group. 🎧 Tuning in. Today's 'NBA Daily' discusses the coaching advantage Rick Carlisle has in the NBA Finals. The story of the greatest players in NBA history. In 100 riveting profiles, top basketball writers justify their selections and uncover the history of the NBA in the process. The story of the greatest players in NBA history. What are the Knicks doing right now? I'll be honest. I didn't expect to be talking this much, this often about the Knicks' coaching search. I figured we'd talk about Tom Thibodeau being fired and then have news of Jason Kidd being a target. From there, I figured we'd just kind of wait and see what else happens after a few days or maybe even a week. But the Knicks coaching search has taken a truly bizarre turn that is not only quite unusual, but it also has many of us convinced they never had an actual plan. Advertisement Just to recap: Thibodeau took the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference finals in 25 years. The Knicks fired him a few days after they were eliminated by the Pacers. We quickly started hearing about Mavericks coach Jason Kidd being a guy they wanted to hire. It would require permission from the Mavericks to speak to him, convincing him to take the job, and then negotiating a trade with Dallas to get him to New York. The Mavs denied permission for the Knicks to even speak to Kidd. It doesn't stop there. The Knicks have also been denied permission to speak to Ime Udoka by the Rockets and Chris Finch by the Timberwolves. ESPN also reported they were denied speaking to Quin Snyder by the Hawks. K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network also reported the Knicks were denied by the Bulls to speak to Billy Donovan. Sometimes, in a coaching search, you might get a team asking to speak to one coach under contract. More often than not, you're seeing teams asking for permission to speak to assistant coaches under contract. The Knicks asking permission for possibly five head coaches currently under contract is ridiculous. I guess there's the idea of 'If you don't ask, you don't get' at play here. And if you can deal with rejection, then it's not a horrible thing. It also shows the fan base that this team really didn't have a plan when Thibs was fired. They just wanted him gone. Where does Durant fit best? It feels like Kevin Durant will definitely get away from the Suns this summer. We just don't know where or what it looks like to get rid of him. Durant had a great season when he was on the court. He put up 26 points, six rebounds, 4.2 assists and had 52.7/43.0/83.9 splits. The problem is the soon-to-be 37-year-old played in only 62 games. Since missing a full season with the Achilles' tear in 2019-20, Durant has missed 37, 27, 35, seven and 20 games, respectively. That's a lot of games. He also makes $54.7 million next season, which is both a hard number to deal and an expiring contract. Technically, he could walk if he doesn't like your situation. Or he could potentially influence his next team to agree to a two-year, $122 million extension. It's worth it if he plays healthy enough seasons, but that hasn't happened lately. Advertisement On Wednesday, ESPN reported that Durant and his business partner are sifting through trade scenarios. The five potential partners named were the Heat, Knicks, Rockets, Timberwolves and Spurs. These are five pretty intriguing destinations, so let's see how a potential trade could be structured. (PLEASE NOTE, AGGREGATORS: THESE ARE VAGUE IDEAS OF TRADES AND NOT TRADE REPORTS. DO NOT MAKE TRADE GRAPHICS OR PHOTOSHOPS FOR THESE.). Knicks: The framework of the deal is essentially a Karl-Anthony Towns for Kevin Durant swap. But it's not that simple because the second apron penalties and restrictions make it a very difficult salary-matching endeavor. A third team would need to be involved to work around some salaries. I actually don't think this solves either team's issues. With that being said, Phoenix would pair Devin Booker with his best friend. KD for KAT means the Knicks can't have Mitchell Robinson get hurt. Heat: With Booker and Bradley Beal on the roster, the Suns don't need – nor probably want – Tyler Herro. So, I guess the framework of a deal looks like Andrew Wiggins, Duncan Robinson and Jaime Jaquez Jr. with a 2030 or 2032 first-round pick attached to it. Maybe that's worth two firsts, but I'd be hard-pressed to see that happened for KD at his age and availability. The Suns shouldn't want to do anything without Kel'el Ware involved, but I'm guessing Miami says no to that. Would this be enough to get Miami back toward the top of an East with a crumbling Boston, broken Milwaukee and whatever Cleveland is? Rockets: I'm assuming Jabari Smith Jr. is not available in this exercise. Amen Thompson obviously isn't. But you have to get some contracts into the mix to get the numbers to match. Jalen Green (they don't need him), Reed Sheppard (potential bust) and Jock Landale makes the contracts work, although that's not much of a haul. What about giving Phoenix their 2027 and 2029 picks back too? This is a no-brainer for Houston. Phoenix can probably do better, though. Spurs: The Spurs don't even have to give up the No. 2 pick in a potential trade. They could probably get away with Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes and Malaki Branham to make the contracts work, and then throw in their 2026 and 2028 first-round picks. Maybe this year's No. 14 too. They have more valuable picks from other teams coming in, so their own picks can be moved easily. I don't hate this trade for both teams, but you have to be concerned a little with both Victor Wembanyama and Durant's health in recent years. Wolves: Minnesota would need Julius Randle and Naz Reid to pick up their player options so they can be moved to Phoenix in a trade. A deal would also have to include Rob Dillingham to make the contracts work. The Wolves don't really have picks they can add here. I'm not quite sure why Phoenix does this, but maybe they just want Anthony Edwards to be happy? Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'He Said, "How Much?"' — John Salley Says Shaquille O'Neal Handed Him $70,000 With No Contract, No Payback, Just Pure Brotherhood
"He said, 'how much?'" Former NBA forward John Salley remembers posing that question and watching Shaquille O'Neal calmly peel off $70,000 in cash—no contract, no interest, just teammate trust. The spur-of-the-moment loan, Salley says, proved generosity in professional sports can loom as large as the 7-foot-1 center himself. Salley shared the memory during a September 2019 interview with VladTV. During the 1999-2000 campaign, Salley—then a 35-year-old reserve forward— accepted a veteran-minimum salary of roughly $510,000. Don't Miss: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. O'Neal, midway through a seven-year, $120 million Lakers deal, was dominating the court. But off the court, he was just as impactful, showing that his generosity matched his superstar status. By then, O'Neal's off-court portfolio had already included early Google shares and, later, a board seat with Papa John's (NASDAQ:PZZA). Those moves helped push his fortune toward $500 million, talkSPORT reported six months ago. Handing over $70,000, therefore, felt effortless, yet it bridged a real cash-flow crunch for Salley, whose prime-era contracts had dwindled after title runs in Detroit and Chicago. Trending: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: . Retirement steered each teammate into new arenas. In February 2018, Salley partnered with GreenSpace Labs to introduce the GreenLite Screener, a handheld detector originally designed for U.S. military toxin testing. A year later, he and his daughter, Tyla, founded Deuces 22, a lifestyle cannabis label focused on quality flower and social-justice education. In July 2019, Nevada-based Flower One Holdings announced a licensing deal allowing its 400,000-square-foot greenhouse to produce and distribute 22 Deuces products statewide. According to a March forecast from Grand View Research, the U.S. cannabis market could reach $76.39 billion by 2030, expanding more than 11% annually. Salley told VladTV he treats the forgotten loan as phantom equity: "I got him in my brain as an investor," he said, adding that O'Neal still waves off 22 has biodegradable / compostable materials that break down in 10 years. The company is also adding an augmented-reality feature to its labels so shoppers can scan every pack to see an authenticity message. Its classroom arm, Deuces Academy, is dedicated to delivering educational and informative content to the community through articles, photos, short-form videos, and contests, aiming to engage and educate on various topics, potentially including social justice. Meanwhile, according to The Wolf of Franchises, O'Neal owns more than 150 fast-food outlets, 50 gyms, and multiple car wash chains, reinforcing a belief that wealth multiplies when shared. Read Next: Many are using retirement income calculators to check if they're on pace — Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart & Target – Image: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? PAPA JOHN'S INTERNATIONAL (PZZA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article 'He Said, "How Much?"' — John Salley Says Shaquille O'Neal Handed Him $70,000 With No Contract, No Payback, Just Pure Brotherhood originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Brittney Griner Had No Words for Big WNBA News on Tuesday
Brittney Griner Had No Words for Big WNBA News on Tuesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Brittney Griner was able to make her return to action on Friday following a two-game absence due to a knee injury. The Atlanta Dream welcomed their star center back with a 94-87 win against the Seattle Storm to mark their fourth consecutive victory. Advertisement It was two-time All-Star Allisha Gray who led the charge for Atlanta during Griner's recent brief spell on the sidelines. In fact, Gray's strong play over the past week led to some big news for the 6-foot guard. The WNBA announced on Tuesday that, for the first time in her career, Gray has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week behind averages of 26.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in two games played last week. Griner caught wind of the news and the nine-time All-Star decided to flex her teammate's milestone. Griner took to Instagram to share the Dream's post announcing Gray's Player of the Week win. Griner had no caption for her post, instead opting to add a selection of emojis to emphasize her flex. Advertisement Thanks to Gray's strong run, Atlanta was able to make it four straight wins. The Dream are now 5-2 in the season and are sitting at the No. 3 spot in the WNBA. Atlanta Dream player Allisha Gray participates in the 3-point contest during the WNBA All-Star Skills J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Their success has been thanks in large part to Gray, who is in the midst of her best season of her career. In seven games played thus far, the former Rookie of the Year has put up career-best numbers in points (21.4), field goal shooting (49.5%), assists (4.6) and three-pointers made (2.9 triples on 43.5% shooting). They will be back in action on Friday against the 1-6 Connecticut Sun as the Dream look to make it five wins in a row. Advertisement Related: Brittney Griner Reacts to Telling Detail From Caitlin Clark, Fever Game This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
