Deion Sanders still hospitalized, will miss third Jackson State game

Jackson State football coach Deion Sanders is still hospitalized expected to miss his third straight game because of an illness, according to FootballScoop. The Tigers, which currently sit at 7-1, are scheduled to face Texas Southern at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Multiple sources, including within the Southwestern Athletic Conference, confirmed Friday that Sanders has endured an extended hospitalization and complicated recovery from his Sept. 22 surgery on his left foot and would miss the Tigers’ home game.

Jackson State currently sits at No. 17 in the American Football Coaches Association FCS Top 25 amidst a five-game winning streak. It is 2-0 in the past two weeks with Gary Harrell as the Tigers’ interim coach.

Sources told FootballScoop that though Sanders is anxious to return to the team, doctors are advising against it.

Earlier this week, as Harrell again filled in for Sanders on the SWAC’s Monday video conference, the former Howard University coach discussed Sanders’ recovery.

“Coach Prime is still getting better and better, every time I talk to him,” said Harrell, whom Sanders dubbed his “right hand” when Sanders first disclosed his leave of absence. “I talked to him (Sunday) night; I talked to him this morning, to update some things he wanted to make sure we keep incorporated and pretty much showing how proud he was, how proud he is of the staff and the players and how we’re doing.

“He’s doing well right now. I just try to leave anything as far as medical things, just try to let him make those comments when he gets back. When I talk to him, he’s in great spirits and he’s well engaged and he’s continuously just helping us get better as we go throughout the weeks.”

Jackson State (7-1, 5-0 SWAC) is seeking its first league title in nearly 15 years, and if it wins the SWAC’s Dec. 4 championship game, secures the program’s first-ever Celebration Bowl berth.

A 14-year NFL veteran, Sanders was drafted fifth overall in 1989. He spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens and others. He was also a professional baseball player while in the NFL.

Sanders entered the high school coaching ranks in 2012 with Prime Prep Academy and went on to coach for three years at Trinity Christian School in Cedar Hill, Texas. He took over Jackson State in 2020, his first college coaching job.

At 54, Sanders still has a few years ahead of him to move up, if he chooses. Hopefully Deion Sanders is able to recover from his illness and surgery to rejoin the Tigers later this year when he is no longer hospitalized.