Being in the NFL is a tough ride for Shedeur Sanders. College was easy, since he had the support of his father, the iconic Deion Sanders. But in the pro league, the Cleveland Browns QB is fighting a lone battle. For the second time in his still nascent career, Shedeur Sanders has to really worry about the starting quarterback job. Coach Prime has once come to assure the skeptics of his son’s worth.
“He don’t understand that he could walk in a room with anybody and they’re going to know who he is,” Sanders Sr. told Garrett Bush in an interview. “And demographically, from eight years old all the way to my fans that may be 70, he has their eyes and ears. And they want him to succeed. Some want to see him fail. But either way, they want something. And he got it, man.”
Coach Prime’s claims aren’t that far-reaching. After Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel went 1-3 and 1-5 as starters, respectively, Cleveland turned to Shedeur Sanders. He was 3-4 as a starter, but that’s two wins more than the other QBs on the roster. He wasn’t all that bad either, with his Week 14 performance against the Tennessee Titans bearing a stat line that is a powerful weapon against skeptics. There are a good number of fans who are rallying behind him to keep the QB1 job for this year as well.
But something that’s remained constant in his time in college and the NFL is the sea of hate. In college, it was because he was seen as a nepotism product, playing for his father’s team. Sanders was clearly the flashier QB prospect in his draft class. That image rarely flies with football fans.
Ahead of the draft, Sanders reportedly bombed his team interviews, and that added yet another facet to the brand of Shedeur Sanders. He tumbled down to the fifth round of the draft after being projected as a top pick. The trolls doubled down on the hate and constantly grilled him for not having a bright future in the NFL. As a rookie, he was behind Deshaun Watson, Flacco, and Gabriel. He had no window to jump past all three to bag the QB1 job. But it came to him eventually.
“He has an anointing on his life that he’s a bonafide leader,” Deion Sanders added. “He’s always been, but he’s a good person.”
When the Browns were flailing around at quarterback, Shedeur Sanders held the fort down. The team had no option to rely on him for the remaining stretch of the season, but he delivered better than the others. There aren’t many who are talking about his attitude or behavior problems now.
According to FanDuel, Deshaun Watson is the favorite to win the QB1 role this year, with odds at -174. Shedeur Sanders is next at +136. The veteran is now healthy, forcing Sanders to the background. But he is Watson’s only solid competitor in the QB1 race. It’s a narrow gap between the two, which shows how many have changed their stance on Sanders.
Not too long ago, former Browns QB, Bernie Kosar, praised the Year 2 QB. He confirmed that he enjoyed how he played by the end of the 2025 season. But then came the reality check that worries every single quarterback.
“Us quarterbacks, we get a lot of credit — too much credit when we win and too much blame when we lose,” Kosar said. “But I really believe we are victims or beneficiaries of the guys around us. We were very void of talent with the Browns on offense last year. So for Shedeur to come in as a rookie with a really limited, talented roster around him offensively, he certainly made plays.”
So, with all that in mind, how is the Browns’ new head coach, Todd Monken, setting up the quarterback room? Well, he might find something interesting after a little chat with Coach Prime.
Deion Sanders plans to meet Cleveland Browns’ new HC to help with managing Shedeur Sanders
Continuing his conversation with ‘The Barbershop’, the Colorado coach said, “I want to meet him because I think it’s vital that as a coach, not the dad, I can tell him a few things about [Shedeur], how to get him going. That wasn’t asked of me a year ago. I don’t understand it.
“Even a guy like Travis Hunter being drafted to Jacksonville and I’ve had him for the last three [years], don’t you think you would want to talk to me to ask me what gets him going and what backs him off? You would want to know that.”
Coach Prime has always stuck by his son’s side. After a tough experience in the 2025 draft, and during his rookie season, Deion Sanders was always batting for his Shedeur. Naturally, he’d want to give Monken some knowledge on how to get the best out of the young QB. Deion did shape him into a decent quarterback during his collegiate career.
Meanwhile, Deshaun Watson’s comeback remains the biggest variable for the Browns’ QB room. He looks healthier than ever before, which is why he is the frontrunner in this race. Watson becomes a free agent in 2027, so the Browns might as well let him take the lead for this one last season.
Shedeur Sanders is still the most proven developmental option they have. He’s seasoned enough to carve out a bigger place for himself, and could use some more help to chip away at his flaws. When Watson does ceaase to be a factor, Sanders will be the slam-dunk option for Cleveland. After all, it is still not guaranteed that the veteran will be healthy throughout the season.
After a not-so-flashy season in 2025, Dillon Gabriel is firmly out of the starting race. Adding even more complexity to the summer roster is the arrival of rookie quarterback Taylen Green. They’re expected to line up as QB3 and QB4.
Nevertheless, we’ll find out the actual pecking order when Monken reveals it. And Deion Sanders’ words might play a role in deciding his son’s fate for the upcoming season.
