Shedeur Sanders’ situation in Cleveland is more complicated than a typical second-year quarterback competition. He went 3-4 as a starter in his rookie season after the Browns turned to him in Week 12 when Dillon Gabriel’s inconsistency forced a change.
Despite posting seven touchdowns and limited offensive support around him, the Browns never formally committed to making him their starter for 2026.
Deion Sanders, GF Karrueche Tran Share Intimate Beach Kisses During Tropical Vacation
Deion Sanders, GF Karrueche Tran Share Intimate Beach Kisses During Tropical Vacation (Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images)
His father Deion Sanders spoke candidly about his son Shedeur’s public profile during a recent interview with Garrett Bush. The Colorado head coach addressed the polarizing attention surrounding Shedeur as the Cleveland Browns prepare for a competitive quarterback battle heading into the 2026 season. Deion also revealed he intends to personally meet new Browns head coach Todd Monken before training camp.
Deion explained his son’s massive cultural impact during the interview. “He doesn’t understand that he could walk in a room with anybody and they’re going to know who he is,” Sanders Sr. said. “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.” Deion also affirmed his son’s character separately in the same interview, calling him a bona fide leader who has always carried himself as a good person.
Shedeur’s path to the Browns was not straightforward. After being projected as a top-five pick, he slid to the fifth round in the 2025 draft following reports of poor team interviews. He sat behind Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, and Gabriel on the depth chart before injuries opened the door. His two consecutive wins over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals in Weeks 17 and 18 were the clearest sign of what he can do under pressure.
Shedeur also received a Pro Bowl alternate selection following his rookie season, a distinction that added credibility to his early NFL résumé.
The criticism that followed Shedeur from college has not fully disappeared in the NFL after he was labeled a nepotism product at Colorado and slid to the fifth round with rocky team interviews. The hate intensified when he wore a phone case featuring his own name during the draft night broadcast.
Deion Sanders Wants a Direct Meeting with Todd Monken Before Training Camp
Deion’s decision to request a meeting with Monken is directly tied to the coaching change in Cleveland.NFL analyst Chris Broussard, one of Shedeur’s most consistent public supporters, said on Fox Sports thatMonken will give him a fairer evaluation than Kevin Stefanski did in his rookie year, but added clearly that Sanders still has to earn the starting role through training camp.
Deion wants to meet Monken as a coach, not just as a father, to share insights on Shedeur, noting that Jacksonville never asked for his input on Travis Hunter. Monken, who spent three seasons as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator, said he will evaluate all three quarterbacks equally and described Watson’s potential as intriguing. Watson and Gabriel are considered long shots to beat Sanders for the starting role, and Watson becomes a free agent after the 2026 season.
“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,” Deion Sanders said in the same interview.
Shedeur has taken his preparation for 2026 seriously. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said in February that Sanders had been in Cleveland most of the winter. “I think that says a lot for his dedication to wanting to be an NFL quarterback,” Haslam said.
Shedeur switched his jersey number from 12 to 2 for 2026, the same number he wore at Colorado, signaling a deliberate fresh-start approach heading into his second season.
Deion Sanders has always been his son’s most vocal public advocate, through the draft slide, the rookie season, and now the 2026 quarterback competition. Whether Monken agrees to the meeting is his decision, and whether he uses any of that information remains to be seen. But the QB1 race in Cleveland is genuinely open, and the gap between Shedeur and Watson in the betting markets shows the league is watching closely.