Deion Sanders had two toes on his left foot amputated due to severe blood clots that developed after a routine surgery to fix a dislocated toe and an inflamed nerve. The blood clots blocked blood flow in his leg, leading to compartment syndrome, a swollen leg condition that required surgery to relieve pressure. Despite efforts to save his leg, the blood flow problems caused gangrene in his big toe and second toe, which necessitated their amputation to preserve his overall health and avoid the possibility of losing the entire leg. He also underwent multiple surgeries to address the blood clots and leg swelling issues. Sanders chose amputation partly to avoid extended hospitalization that would have made him miss more football games during his coaching career. His condition is linked to genetic factors, including a family history of blood clots, and complications with circulation have remained a concern after the amputations.