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If any of the Shedeur Sanders critics were busy during the Cleveland Browns' first preseason game, Deion Sanders made sure they had an idea of what was going on. While Shedeur sent a message of his own in the first half of the game against the Carolina Panthers, he did so with his play on the field.
As for his dad's message? It needed no clarification.
Deion Sanders Reacts to Shedeur Sanders' Impressive Browns Debut
Sanders drew the start for the Browns' first preseason game on Friday, Aug. 8, and it quickly became a memorable debut. Through the first two quarters, the former Colorado Buffaloes star completed 11-of-18 passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns, both of which went to wide receiver Kaden Davis.
Not surprisingly, his dad's post on X began lighting up social media.
"Oh yeah what now!" the Colorado head coach said.
Obviously, this was just one start for Sanders, and it was a preseason game, but it's rare to see any rookie step onto an NFL field for the first time and put together a first-half performance as impressive as Shedeur's.
This won't quiet critics, and there's likely nothing that will this season, but at the very least, it's left NFL fans as a whole scratching their heads even more about Sanders' stunning NFL draft fall.
Shedeur Sanders Immediately Proved He Fell Way Too Far in the NFL Draft
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders #12 of the Cleveland Browns drops to pass in the first half during the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Sanders' strong debut for the Browns doesn't prove he's bound to be a future Hall of Famer. It doesn't even prove he'll be a starting-caliber NFL quarterback. However, it does show that he deserved to hear his name called long before the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft.
After being projected by some as a first-round draft pick, Sanders sat and watched five other quarterbacks hear their names called before him. That list included his new teammate and former Oregon quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, whom the Browns selected in the third round.
After starring at Jackson State, Sanders joined his father in Boulder, Colorado, after Deion accepted the Buffaloes' head coaching job. In two seasons with Colorado, Shedeur completed 71.8 percent of his passes for 7,364 yards, 64 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He tacked on eight rushing scores for good measure.
After a 2024 campaign in which Sanders threw for over 4,000 yards and completed 74.0 percent of his passes with 37 touchdowns, it made his draft tumble even more shocking. Now, the Browns' rookie may not say as much, but he looks well-positioned to quiet many critics if he continues to get extended playing time ahead of the regular season.
Deion Sanders Sends Message Amid Shedeur Sanders' Impressive Browns Debut first appeared on Men's Journal on Aug 9, 2025
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