Why Deion had to apologize to Travis.
Deion Sanders Reveals Why He Apologized to Travis Hunter During Cancer Battle originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Over the past few seasons, no coach has stolen the spotlight more so than NFL Hall of Famer turned college football icon Deion Sanders.
After taking over Jackson State in 2020 and lifting the program to consecutive SWAC championships, Sanders arrived at Colorado in 2023 and, over two seasons, has guided the Buffaloes from a one-win team to a 9-4 record and an Alamo Bowl berth in 2024.
As Colorado geared up for the 2025 season, however, Sanders revealed he'd been diagnosed earlier this year with an aggressive form of bladder cancer that required surgery, a treatment he and his medical team deemed successful, culminating in a July 28 press conference announcement that he is now cancer-free.
On Thursday, Sanders went deeper during an episode of "Say What Needs To Be Said," revealing new details about his recent health crisis and the private conversations he had with family and players, including 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.
"I didn’t want my boys to know," he said. "They gotta focus on making teams. But Travis, he flew down because he wanted to see me face-to-face because I had to show him why I couldn't come to the wedding."
"I had to tell him like, 'Dude, I can't come, I apologize, I can't come to your wedding, but this is why,'" Sanders admitted. "And when I said that, he's like 'I'll be there'."
Deion Sanders' Cancer Diagnosis and Recovery
In April, routine vascular tests led doctors to discover a malignant tumor in Sanders’ bladder. He underwent a robotic laparoscopic surgery on May 9 to remove his bladder and create a neobladder from intestinal tissue.
Headlining the July 28 news conference, Dr. Janet Kukreja of the CU Cancer Center confirmed the cancer was "very high-grade" but non-muscle invasive and that post-surgery scans show no evidence of disease.
Sanders reportedly dropped 25 pounds during treatment yet emerged upbeat, declaring himself "cancer-free" and ready to coach his third season in Boulder.
Deion Sanders and Travis Hunter's Relationship
When it came time to explain his absence from Hunter’s May 24 wedding to longtime girlfriend Leanna Lenee, Hunter flew up to Boulder for a one-on-one talk with Sanders.
The moment shared between them highlights the deep bond the two have forged since Hunter flipped his 2022 commitment from Florida State to Jackson State to play under Sanders, then followed him to Colorado.
Over his first two years under Sanders, one at Jackson State and one at Colorado, Hunter earned SWAC Freshman of the Year, second-team All-SWAC, second-team All-Pac 12 and consensus All-American in 2023.
Then came his breakout year.
Last season, Hunter had 1,258 receiving yards and 16 total touchdowns on offense, while on defense, he accumulated 36 combined tackles, four interceptions, 11 passes defended and one forced fumble.
He played nearly 1,400 snaps on offense and defense, 382 more than any other player in the country, leading Hunter to win the Heisman Trophy as well as the Walter Camp Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Fred Biletnikoff Award, AP College Football Player of the Year and unanimous All-American.
As one of the game's all-time two-way playmakers, Hunter had his No. 12 retired by Colorado and was selected second overall in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Football
