Colorado Commit Reveals How Deion Sanders News Changes Recruitment

Colorado Commit Reveals How Deion Sanders News Changes Recruitment originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

As it frequently has over the past couple of years, the college football world turned its attention to Boulder, Colorado, on Monday.

However, this time wasn't due to a bold roster construction move, viral tweet or generational player that plays two positions, it was about the head of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.

The third-year coach in Boulder has been away from the program for the majority of the offseason, dealing with an illness that, up until Monday, was a mystery. When he addressed the media on Monday, he did so with trainer Lauren Askevold, and Director of Urologic Oncology at the CU Cancer Center/UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, Dr. Janet Kukreja. 

The trio revealed that the head coach had bladder cancer and underwent an operation to remove his bladder in May. While it was a jarring revelation, Sanders was deemed to be cancer-free by Kukreja.

Multiple Colorado commits told Rivals' Adam Gorney that the revelation makes them feel much better about their commitment. One of whom was three-star linebacker Carson Crawford, who called the news a "relief."

“I’m glad he’s doing better,” Crawford told Rivals. “It won’t change anything with my commitment and it definitely is a relief.”

Gorney also confirmed that Colorado's highest-ranked commit in its 2026 class, four-star Preston Ashley, has since "reaffirmed" his commitment to Colorado after the Sanders announcement on Monday.

With more clarity on Sanders' health, Colorado's class, which has nine commits and ranks as the No. 69 class in the country, may see a boost on the recruiting trail in the coming weeks.

Related: "That Breaks My Heart:" Michael Irvin Left Emotional by Deion Sanders' Painful Confession

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 28, 2025, where it first appeared.