Deion Sanders was back on the sidelines when it happened. Mid-game. His team was deep into play when he suddenly felt something off in his leg.
For anyone who’s followed his journey, it was a chilling déjà vu. The man known for speed and swagger has spent years battling circulation issues—multiple blockages, repeated procedures, and even the loss of two toes. He’s long described himself as “hypercoagulable,” meaning his blood clots more easily than most.
So when news broke that he underwent yet another procedure to remove a clot, fans and physicians alike wondered: Why does this keep happening?
To unpack what might be going on, my co-host, interventional cardiologist Dr. John Phillips and I talked to Vascular Surgeon Dr. Esteban Henao from Albuquerque, New Mexico, during our The Heart of Innovation radio show and podcast.
Dr. Henao said while his first inclination was to think the clots may have been triggered by the Bladder Cancer, he went on to say that what Sanders may be experiencing is “the perfect storm”—a collision of multiple risk factors that feed off each other. “He’s a type 2 diabetic,” he said, “which already damages small vessels and slows circulation. He also has a hereditary tendency for clotting—what we call a hypercoagulable state. And on top of that, he may have aneurysmal disease in his leg.”
He explained that as arteries expand—especially behind the knee where the popliteal artery runs—they can collect a thick, mud-like buildup of old clot. Over time, that material can break loose and travel downstream, blocking blood flow to the foot and toes. “It’s exactly the kind of scenario,” Henao said, “that can lead to tissue loss, even when a patient has access to world-class care.”
For Sanders, that “perfect storm” has already cost him two toes. For others, it can cost a leg—or their life.
Dr. Phillips added that the phrase “blood clot” often confuses people. “Most assume it’s something that happens in the veins, but clots can also form in the arteries,” he said. “The difference is that a venous clot blocks blood from returning to the heart, while an arterial clot blocks blood from reaching your tissues. Either one can be devastating.”
According to the CDC, about 900,000 Americans develop a venous clot each year, and roughly 100,000 die from pulmonary embolisms—when a clot travels to the lungs. “A quarter of those people die without warning,” Phillips said. “That’s why awareness and prevention are everything.”
But awareness alone isn’t enough — for both venous AND arterial clots.
Access and equity remain the biggest gaps in vascular care.
“If Deion weren’t Deion,” Henao said, “if he were just an average guy walking into a hospital with leg pain, there’s a good chance he would’ve lost that entire leg.” He explained that even in 2025, far too many emergency departments lack rapid vascular evaluation. “Once those first six hours are gone,” he said, “the tissue is dead. No matter how advanced your treatment, you can’t bring back a leg that’s been starved of blood that long.”
That same lack of access affects millions of Americans with peripheral artery disease, or PAD. Studies show one in five people over sixty has it, yet more than seventy percent have never heard the term. In a survey of patients from our Global PAD Association network, more than two-thirds said their first symptoms—leg cramps, fatigue, or foot pain—were brushed off as “just aging,” “neuropathy,” or “arthritis.”
By the time many are diagnosed, the damage is done.
And that’s why stories like Deion’s matter. When a public figure confronts a condition, most people don’t talk about, it opens a door for conversation—and potentially, for change. We saw it just weeks ago when former President Trump’s chronic venous insufficiency made headlines. He didn’t become defined by the disease, but by acknowledging it, he helped millions recognize a condition they’d never heard of.
The same could happen here.
Sanders’ willingness to speak publicly about his struggle—no matter how painful or personal—might be what helps another man or woman recognize the warning signs in time. Because sometimes, one story, one question, one trip to the doctor, can make the difference between losing a leg and saving it.
If you are experiencing leg pain, leg cramps or neuropathy, call the Global PAD Association’s Leg Saver Hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS or go to PADhelp.org
You can also join the Global PAD Association’s Facebook Group for Peripheral Artery Disease at PADsupportGroup.org
