New Colorado football coach Deion Sanders turned his introductory news conference Sunday into a mini-sermon, telling fans and media members that there's nothing "God can't do."
Sanders, known as "Prime Time" for his former exploits as a college and professional athlete, was named head coach of the Buffalos after leading Jackson State (Miss.) to records of 11-2 and 12-0 in the last two seasons. Sanders is 55.
"Don't you ever tell me what God ain't. Don't you ever tell me His limits," Sanders said at the beginning of his news conference as the new Colorado coach. "Don't you ever tell me what you're up against and what you can't do.
"Out of all the persons in the world, God chose me? For that, I thank you," Sanders said, also referencing the Colorado athletic director and board members. "For that, I love Him. For that, I magnify Him. For that, I glorify Him. For that, I praise Him. For that, I owe Him. Each and every day, I'm trying to please Him."
Sanders mentioned a 2021 medical scare in which he was hospitalized with a femoral arterial blood clot, a life-threatening condition. Doctors considered amputating his left leg before amputating two toes on his left foot.
"It's funny how God always takes me to the unthinkable and provokes me to do the things that people wouldn't fathom doing," Sanders said. "And I never would have thought at this time last year when I was laying up in the hospital dealing with these blood clots getting two toes amputated, and the sides of my legs cut out, that I would be in Colorado in this beautiful weather, this beautiful place, this beautiful city. … Don't you ever tell me nothing that God can't do. This is flat-out incredible. God is incredible."
Sanders also discussed his faith during a meeting with the Colorado players, telling them, "Usually when God sends me to a place, He sends me to a place to be a conduit of change."
Sanders will coach Jackson State's final game in the Dec. 17 Celebration Bowl against North Carolina Central.
Related:
'Thank-You Jesus': Deion Sanders Remains Grateful after Amputation, Medical Scare
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Maddie Meyer/Staff
Video courtesy: PAC-12 News
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.