Per USA Today, Sanders first had foot surgery in September 2021 because he had a dislocated toe and an inflamed nerve. As he recovered, People notes that the 54-year-old's left big toe and second toe turned black. According to Andscape, this discovery was made by JSU trainer Lauren Askevold while she changed his foot bandages. In October of that year, Sanders returned to the hospital and was told that he had three blood clots in his left leg that were cutting off the blood flow to his left foot. Unfortunately, it was later determined that Sanders had developed compartment syndrome.
In "Coach Prime," Sanders spoke about his time in the hospital. He said, "They were talking about the amputation of toes. Then they were talking about the amputation of my leg from the knee down. Then, they were trying to ensure I had life." WebMD explains that compartment syndrome occurs when bleeding or swelling causes a high amount of pressure within the muscles. If left untreated, it can lead to nerve damage or even death. In Sanders' case, People reports that doctors had to cut into his tissues and amputate his two toes in order to save his leg. Andscape writes that he had a total of eight surgeries in three weeks.
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