An unsettling update surfaced this week involving one of football’s rising young talents. Cleveland Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins is set to undergo surgery after suffering a fractured fibula and a dislocated ankle during Week 16, an injury that ended his season with two games remaining. As Judkins prepared for the procedure, a moment of support cut through the gravity of the situation. Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, closely connected to the Browns’ locker room this season, shared a public message of encouragement that underscored how personal the setback has become.

“Praying for u my man 🙏🏾” Deion Sanders offered his prayers on X, replying to a post from Judkins’ mother.

Sanders’ involvement is rooted in more than admiration from afar. His son, Shedeur Sanders, joined the Browns as a rookie quarterback this season and quickly developed chemistry with Judkins in Cleveland’s backfield. The two first-year players showed flashes of a productive partnership, offering the Browns a glimpse of a potential long-term offensive foundation before injury intervened. That bond made the moment particularly heavy for Shedeur.

CBS declined to show replays of the collision, but the severity was immediately evident. Judkins was carted off the field, placed in a right leg brace, and later confirmed to have suffered injuries that would end his season. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski later announced that Judkins had been placed on injured reserve following successful surgery.

The former OSU running back was a big part of head coach Ryan Day’s 2024 CFP Championship-winning team. After transferring from Ole Miss following two standout seasons, he carried his production to Columbus, rushing for 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns while adding 22 receptions for 161 yards and two receiving scores. He was instrumental in the national title game against Notre Dame, rushing for 100 yards on just 11 carries and scoring twice.

Judkins entered the NFL Draft soon after and was selected 36th overall in the second round by Cleveland. His rookie season showed promise, as he totaled 827 rushing yards on 230 carries with seven touchdowns across 14 games before his injury in Week 16 halted that momentum.

Medical outlooks, however, have been encouraging. Sports medicine physician Dr. Jesse Morse described the injury as a “best-case scenario” given the absence of ligament damage, projecting a recovery timeline of four to six months. Judkins is expected to resume football activities in the spring and could be close to full strength by the start of the 2026 season.

Shedeur Sanders’ reaction to Quinshon Judkins’ injury

Shedeur Sanders, who joined Judkins in Cleveland after arriving from the Colorado Buffaloes, was visibly affected by the injury. During the first half of the Browns’ matchup against Buffalo, Sanders threw a swing pass to Judkins that was read perfectly by linebacker Matt Milano, who tackled Judkins behind the line of scrimmage. The play resulted in an injury.

Sanders later detailed what unfolded on the play that led to the injury, explaining that the coverage eliminated his first read and left the screen pass as the only viable option. Still, watching a teammate go down made the moment difficult to process.

“It was definitely sad, because that was my only option based on the coverage,” Sanders said. “I feel bad because I threw it. Truthfully… yeah. It hurts.”

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While the injury was simply an unfortunate outcome of the sport, Sanders’ reaction highlighted the bond between the two rookies, both of whom are expected to play significant roles in Cleveland’s future once healthy.