Deion Sanders jokes about ranking kids while making will, fighting cancer

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders was recently forced to take some time to deal with his health. Now, he’s shared that he was battling bladder cancer, which he has since beaten. However, at one point, the concern for his long-term health was more grave than just that.

Amid his health battle, Sanders went to prepare a will and make sure that he had his affairs in order if the worst was coming. There, he found himself doing something most parents don’t want to admit doing. He was ranking his five kids.

“First thing’s first,” Deion Sanders said at his press conference. “You don’t want to be a fool and leave and not have your business affairs in order. The funny thing is about that, you sitting up there, ranking your kids again. ‘Let me see, Shilo deserves how much? [Shelomi], you know she left Colorado to go elsewhere. Let me see.'”

At one point, while at Colorado, Deion Sanders had made headlines for ranking his children. That was always a fluid list, where Shedeur, Shilo, Deion Jr, Deiondra, and Shelomi all could move up and down. It was hard not to think about those rankings when creating a will back in May. At the time, he had genuine concerns about his health.

“You’re really going through this stuff,” Sanders said. “Making sure your mama is straight. You know I’m serious. You rank your kids too. I’m not the only one. You have to deal with that and going through that so you’re straight.”

Deion Sanders revealed alongside doctors that he had battled bladder cancer ahead of training camp opening up for Colorado. It was a difficult battle to get him ready for the year. Among those battles were 14 surgeries that included a bladder removal. Luckily, he would ultimately win and get cancer free.

Deion Sanders on his bladder cancer, recovery

When Deion Sanders announced his diagnosis and recovery, he opened up about the process. That included the difficult process of interacting with his family while advocating for examinations.

“The process wasn’t easy … you saw all the bull junk that transpired on draft day, it wasn’t just that. I had a surgery coming up. My sons to this day don’t know what transpired. I just told them something with my foot again, because I wanted them to focus on making the team and not focused on Dad. So they really don’t know. My daughters do and this joker right here. Much love to my son, Junior, who [did] not [leave] my side since we found out what was taking place. Not one day. He’s been with me here, been with me in Texas, been with me everywhere, every day, and I’ve seen his hands and face, and I love you to life, son, and I thank you for everything you bring to the table,” Sanders said.

“But this wasn’t easy. Men, everybody get checked out, because if it wasn’t for me, and get tested for something else, they wouldn’t have stumbled up on this. And make sure you go to the get the right care. Because without wonderful people like this, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here today, because it grew so expeditiously, I could say, but please get yourself checked out. Especially African American men, we don’t like going to the doctors. We don’t like nothing to do with the doctor. You know that. So I’m not just talking to the brothers. I’m talking to my Caucasian brothers, my Hispanic brothers, my Asian brothers, my everybody and my sisters. And that’s all y’all get checked out, because it could have been a whole another gathering.”