By Barry Anderson
Former NFL pro and now celebrated Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders revealed that he had surgery to amputate two toes on his left foot following a bout with three life-threatening blood clots.
Sanders detailed his experience in his “Coach Prime“ series, produced by SMAC Entertainment and Barstool Sports, which required a three-week stay at a Mississippi hospital. The amputation removed his big toe and second toe on his left foot.
Sanders spent the later part of the 2021 season in a wheelchair. His blood clot diagnosis led to the revelation that his family has a history of blood clots, and there was a risk that he would need to have his leg amputated from below the knee.
“They were first talking about the amputation of toes, then the amputation of my leg from knee down, and then they were trying to ensure that I had life.” Sanders said. “… It’s been a long journey. I am on the road back. But I am here and I am thankful.”
While we don’t know all the details of why the blood clots first formed in Sanders, diabetes can increase the risk of plaque buildup in the arteries, which can cause dangerous blood clots.
It is important to know the signs and symptoms of blood clots, so that you receive prompt medical attention. Nearly 80 percent of people who have diabetes will eventually die of clot-related causes.
Signs and symptoms of blood clots depend upon their location and whether they occur in an artery or a vein.
A blood clot in an artery that supplies blood to the heart or brain may result in:
Heart attack
– Stroke
– Transient ischemic attack or mini-stroke
When blood clots occur in a vein, symptoms may include:
Pain
– Swelling
– Warmth
– Redness
If a clot forms in a vein in a leg or arm, and then breaks off and travels to the lung, it causes a pulmonary embolus—a potentially life-threatening condition. Symptoms of pulmonary embolism are:
– Chest pain
– Shortness of breath
Blood clots are diagnosed initially by history and physical exam. Other tests may be ordered, depending on the location of the blood clot. In most cases, treatment requires the use of anticoagulant medications that thin the blood, and prevent further clots.
According to TMZ.com, Deion was able to avoid further complications following the toe removals. He and his fiancee, Tracey Edmonds, credited his faith for getting him through it.
Sanders, now months removed from the amputation surgery, said he lost 35 pounds in the ordeal but is feeling better.
“The devil wanted to mess with my mobility,” Deion said in the documentary, “but he couldn’t mess with my ability.”
In fact, Deion is feeling so good now … he posted a video Wednesday of him and his son joking about only having eight toes.
Sanders, 54, has transformed the Jackson State football program in his two years at the school. He’s gone 15-5 overall and led the Tigers this past season to their first Southwestern Athletic Conference title since 2007.
And then, he and the Tigers shocked the college football recruiting world by signing the top overall player in the class of 2022, 5-star cornerback Travis Hunter.
