Deion Sanders’ absence at Browns camp was shocking. The truth was, Shedeur Sanders himself didn’t want his father to show up at training camp. He even went so far as to ask his father to avoid his camps. “He didn’t want me to come,” Coach Prime revealed in a conversation with Michael Irvin. Young Sanders wasn’t getting many reps, and it showed in the camp amid the four-man quarterback battle in Cleveland. But the QB promised he’d make it worth the wait once he went pro. “One thing they’re gonna have to let me play preseason, gonna come to it, went preseason, come watch me work,” the elder Sanders recalled his son’s words. Sanders was right.

Even Browns coach Kevin Stefanski’s words backed that up. However, before that, he had a strong message for the team’s offense. “Pleased with Shedeur, pleased with the offense, again, not perfect, plenty that we can work on,” he said. While he had a warning for the team, he appeared satisfied with his decision to let Sanders start.

It happened quicker than anyone expected. Sanders’ shot at starting for the Cleveland Browns had a cloud of questions. Not to mention the hangover from the drama during the 2025 Draft. When would he get the nod? After all, he was sitting fourth on the official quarterback depth chart. That made the decision even tougher for the coach. That worked well with Sanders having the best night.

“Pleased with Shedeur, pleased with the offense, again, not perfect, plenty that we can work on, but I thought the guys did a really nice job of Shedeur and operating, the guys making plays, so again, a ton to teach on,” he said. He further added, “He’ll get a ton of reps next week as well.” 

With Joe Flacco sidelined and the other two QBs, Dillon Gabriel and Kenny Pickett, nursing injuries, Sanders got the call to start the preseason opener. And the former Colorado Buffaloes standout made the most of it, racking up 138 yards and two touchdowns on 14-of-23 passing. After the game, the coach was pleased with his performance. He hinted that Sanders would be seeing more chances to prove he belongs.

Early in camp, the rookie QB was stuck with third- and fourth-team reps, but he kept his cool. He wasn’t frustrated. Young Sanders is not new to this fame, as sometimes comes with constant scrutiny. He didn’t lose his focus. The Browns’ rookie made it clear that playing-time decisions aren’t his to control.

“It doesn’t make me feel down or it doesn’t make me feel left out or anything, because I know who I am as a person. I know who I am as an individual, and I know what I could bring to this team,” he said. That quiet patience and steady grind have finally started to pay off. Not just the head coach, his well-wishers took to social media to praise the legend.

LeBron James and fans pour love on Shedeur Sanders

Sanders’ pro debut was one of the most anticipated across all sports. Not to mention, his strong performance had the social media buzzing in no time. The first to show love was his father, Coach Prime, who shared a heartfelt message expressing gratitude to God. “Yes Lawd! Yes!” he wrote on X. He kept his promise. 

Shedeur was a potential first-round pick, but he slid to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, going 144th overall. By then, five quarterbacks had already heard their names called, making him the sixth off the board, and the very first QB to kick off Day 3 of the draft.

South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley also sent a warm message congratulating him. “Super happy for @ShedeurSanders!  You can try to break a young fella’s spirit but you can’t touch his talent!  Do the damn thing Shedeur!!!” she wrote.

From there, the praise for the Browns’ rookie kept rolling in. 4x NBA champ LeBron James joined in with his own good wishes. “That young  looking good out there! @ShedeurSanders Keep going UP!!! HEAD down on the grind and HEAD high to the most high,” he wrote. He made it clear that he has full faith in Sanders and is even more excited about the quarterback’s future.

“And I don’t wanna hear that ‘It’s only preseason’ bs. Cause if he was out there not going in y’all would be on his a– about it! So give credit and grace lames.” It’ll be intriguing to see if the QB can keep that momentum rolling and take his game to the next level this season.