Deion Sanders had a clever way of dodging a question about rumors that he and actress Karrueche Tran are dating after she supported the Colorado head football coach during his bladder removal surgery in May.
During an appearance on the “Say What Needs To Be Said” podcast, former NFLer Asante Samuel asked Sanders about his relation to Tran, and mentioned how she was seen crying at the Hall of Famer’s bedside in a YouTube video shared by his son Deion Jr.
“Don’t kill the messenger,” Samuel said at the end of the interview. “Everyone seen Karrueche Tran by your side during your hospital visit. Everyone want to know what that friendship is.”
That’s when Sanders pretended the connection was cutting out on the call.
“Hey, we got a bad connection,” Sanders, 57, said, clearly joking as he got up and began closing the computer.
Samuel laughed it off and praised Sanders for his leadership and wisdom.
Tran, 37, was seen crying while sitting at Sanders’ bedside as he was about to go into surgery after doctors found a cancerous tumor in his bladder.
The “Claws” star held Sanders’ hand as he was escorted on a gurney to the operating room.
“We are at the hospital because we are dealing with… bladder cancer,” Tran, 37, said while taking a pause to cry. “He’s having his bladder removed and they will create a new bladder with one of his intestines. And this option was I guess the best because it fully removes the cancer. to ensure it won’t come back because it was close to his muscle.”
It’s unclear if Sanders and Tran are dating, and they have yet to address the rumors.
Sanders and his long-time fiancée, TV producer Tracey Edmonds, split after 12 years together in December 2023.
Sanders revealed he is cancer free while addressing his health issues at a press conference Monday in Boulder, which included Dr. Janet Kukreja, director of urological oncology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center.
He took time away from the team in the spring for an unspecified health issue.
Sanders added that his doctors found the bladder cancer during a routine checkup on his blood clots in his foot and leg.
In 2021, the Hall of Famer had his left big toe and second toe amputated due to blood clots.
Sanders, who coached Colorado to a 9-4 record in his second season with the team, agreed to a five-year, $54 million contract extension in March.
The Buffaloes open the 2025 season against Georgia Tech on Aug. 29 in Boulder.
