Deion Sanders Reveals Why He Had 2 Of His Toes Amputated
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 18: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Jackson State Tigers looks on during pregame warmups prior to facing the South Carolina State Bulldogs in the Cricket Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 18, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Over the past few years, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has had a number of surgeries to address the blood clots and other issues that threatened to cost Sanders his foot - and potentially his leg.
In a recent piece for the USA Today, reporter Jarrett Bell spoke with Sanders and assistant athletic trainer Lauren Askevold about the significance of Sanders' issues.
The piece detailed his 12 surgeries - one of which was to remove two of his toes. Doctors could have saved the toes, but the coach would have missed a few weeks of Jackson State's football season.
Sanders opted for amputation.
Here's more from the USA Today:
Askevold reminded Sanders of the decision to have his toes amputated. Doctors told him that they could have saved the toes, which would have required him being hospitalized for another two to three weeks and missing additional games.
His response?
"Man, forget the toes," he reflected. "They were charcoal black. They were dead. You look down there and it’s two black toes. Take ‘em. What am I going to do with them?"
Why forget the toes? Well, according to Bell's piece, Sanders saw losing the toes as "collateral damage."
"This is my calling and I take it seriously," he said. "God allowed me to go through this on front street, so that people would be inspired and encouraged."
His struggles have been well-documented, but he's not backing down from the challenge.
Now on his way to recovery, Sanders is hoping to turn around a Buffaloes football program that was the worst in the country last season.
