After what felt like an eternity of cliffhangers and tension crammed into one nail-biting offseason, Kevin Stefanski finally decided it was time to silence the league-wide chatter by naming Shedeur Sanders as QB1 for the preseason. Once treated as an afterthought, he slid all the way down the draft to pick No. 144. Headlines hauntingly followed his every move, dissecting not only his snaps but every detail of his personal life. The Browns four-man quarterback race was fierce, yet he came out on top (for now). And standing beside him as he takes his first steps as the starter is his father, Deion Sanders, sharing in the moment that had threatened to slip away from his fingers.

With presumptive Week 1 starter Joe Flacco sidelined for precautionary reasons, and both Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel nursing hamstring injuries, Shedeur Sanders found himself as the only healthy option under center. “It’s Shedeur, by default,” Mike Florio remarked, though the moment is far from hollow. This is his first real chance to prove that the late practices and extra reps were worth it. Deion Sanders wasted no time taking to X, hammering back at critics with one sharp post. “Oh yeah what now! #CoachPrime.” The statement was loud enough to be heard across the league.

For Sanders, the opportunity is golden. The 23-year-old is now at the center of what could be one of the most-watched games in league history, thanks to the wildfire of speculation his preseason rise has fueled. His breakthrough came against the Panthers when he threw his first NFL touchdown. The connection was a tight seven-yard strike to Kaden Davis, threading the ball between two defenders. The score came on his fourth drive, capitalizing just two plays after a muffed punt by Carolina put the Browns in prime red-zone position.

The celebration came instantly from his most vocal supporter, even though he was physically not present. Deion Sanders was online within minutes, firing off another post that carried his trademark energy. “Yes Lawd! Yes!” he wrote on X after watching his son punch in that first NFL touchdown. The father-son duo seems to be on a war path to deliver the final nail in the coffin of the critics who spent the entire offseason casting doubt.

Doubts plagued Shedeur Sanders

When the QB1 announcement dropped, controversy followed close behind. An ESPN analyst sounded the alarm, saying, “It was a set-up.” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio addressed the speculation head-on, saying, “Some believe the Browns, by starting rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders in tonight’s preseason opener, are setting him up to fail.” He quickly dismissed the idea, adding that even a “dysfunctional” franchise like Cleveland would not sabotage its own investment. “They drafted him,” Florio said. “Why would they want him to fail?”

Colin Cowherd also shot down the theory that Cleveland was “sabotaging” Sanders by limiting his first-team reps. He rejected comparisons to a wedge-driven setup entirely. Instead, Cowherd offered a different take on Kevin Stefanski’s plan. He believes the Browns want to build Sanders’ stock in the preseason, establish him as a valuable backup, and then trade Kenny Pickett. The next move would be to deal Sanders at year’s end for another mid- to late-round pick, assuming he proves he can run the offense in relief.

Florio pointed out that strong play could rewrite the script entirely. “If he plays well, people will notice. Maybe he’ll get more opportunities. Maybe, just maybe, he’ll leapfrog Gabriel, Pickett, and Flacco and become the Week 1 starter.” Now, if history is any indicator, Sanders can claim the throne after all his college numbers certainly strengthen that possibility. In 2024, he led the nation with a 74.0% completion rate, throwing for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns, numbers that make it hard to keep him on the sidelines for long.

After being projected at the very bottom by ESPN for their last season’s disastrous offense and this season’s QB madhouse, the Browns seem hell bent on retrieving their honor.