Malcolm Henry
Deion Sanders, one of the most exciting players in NFL history and current HBCU football coach at Jackson State, had to have two toes on his left foot amputated to alleviate blood clots that followed from a previous surgery.
Sanders revealed the severity of his injury during an episode of his “Coach Prime” documentary series, which will air tonight on Barstool Sports, saying that he developed a femoral arterial blood clot. He also had compartment syndrome, where his leg swelled up, and doctors had to flay open his leg to drain fluid. Sanders later had his big toe and the second toe amputated.
Prime was hospitalized for around a month in the middle of last season, his first with the program, and the Tigers finished 11-2.
Sanders said that he had a dislocated toe, along with an inflamed nerve, and that his initial procedure was in September.
He returned to the field for practice using a golf cart and crutches but as he healed, his toes began to darken under the bandages.
“They were talking about the amputation of toes,” said Sanders. “Then they were talking about the amputation of my leg from the knee down. Then, they were trying to ensure I had life.”
