ATLANTA — Falcons legend and current Colorado head coach Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders is speaking out after a recent cancer scare, urging the public to prioritize regular health checkups.

Sanders revealed that he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bladder cancer earlier this year discovered only because he underwent a CT scan for a separate health issue. “Everybody, get checked out,” Sanders said. “Because if it weren’t for me getting tested for something else, they wouldn’t have stumbled upon this.”

Now cancer-free, Sanders is using his experience to highlight how critical early detection can be. “It could have been a whole other gathering if I hadn’t,” he added.

Sanders is expected to be back on the sidelines when the Colorado Buffaloes open their season August 29 against Georgia Tech.

WSB’s Bill Caiaccio contributed to this story