Last October, when the Cleveland Browns went to London to face the Minnesota Vikings, rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders decided to get a haircut, which went sideways. Sharing a video from that trip, he pointed at his hair, explaining where things went wrong while his friends laughed in the background. It was a fade too high, and it turned Cleveland’s new quarterback into meme material before he’d even started a game. So this time, he’s handling it differently.

On Monday, Sanders posted a clean black-and-white graphic on his Instagram account, a simple poster with minimal text announcing Shedeur’s Legendary Barber Competition, scheduled for Sunday, May 24, in Cleveland, Ohio.

While the picture did most of the heavy lifting, Shedeur saved the actual pitch for the caption and included a link for people to sign up.

“Cleveland, I’m in need of a Barber for the season and want to hire someone local,” Sanders captioned his post. “To decide who gets the opportunity, I’m having a Competition this Sunday, May 24th.”

Now, the conversation around Shedeur Sanders’ hair has been going on for years. Before Colorado’s 2024 season, he cut off his long twisted braids, calling it a “business year” ahead of his move to the NFL.  “I handle business, stand on business; everything’s business, bruh,” he had said.

Shortly before the 2025 NFL Draft came around, his brother Darius had joked about fixing his hairline, but Sanders shut it down. “Performance is what matters,” he said. “Everything else doesn’t matter.”

Then came London, proof that good intentions and a foreign barber do not always mix. Hence, the compeition this time.

The competition itself is closed to walk-ins. The official website describes the Legendary Barber Competition as a “private, invite-only experience created to spotlight elite barber talent, creativity, culture, and craftsmanship.” The winner earns the title of Sanders’ official barber for the upcoming season and performs in front of “invited guests, media, and industry partners.”

The barber competition itself is easy to process. It is local, visual, and lighthearted. The tougher Cleveland question is the one sitting behind it: what happens if Sanders is still in a close quarterback race when the Browns decide on their starter?

Shedeur Sanders has another “competition” to worry about

The Cleveland Browns will play six of their first nine games away from home, which could make early stability even more valuable if head coach Todd Monken has to choose between two quarterbacks, Sanders and Deshaun Watson, who have not clearly separated themselves.

Watson brings years of NFL experience and three Pro Bowl appearances, though injuries and inconsistency have hurt his Cleveland run. Sanders, meanwhile, started seven games during his rookie season and threw for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns. They are not outstanding numbers for a rookie, but decent enough to keep him in the starting quarterback conversation, considering his competitor is Watson.

Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot believes that factor could end up deciding the quarterback competition.

“I really believe that Todd Monken will choose this starting quarterback based on who gives the Browns the best chance to win,” Cabot wrote recently. “But if Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are really close down to the wire, the road-heavy early slate could be a factor.”

A road-heavy start leaves less room for the offense to settle slowly, especially with Cleveland breaking in young players and new starters on the roster. In that setup, Cabot believes that the close competition between the two QBs becomes a question about who can get the offense humming the fastest.

“With so many young players, as well as five new starters on the offensive line, Monken might want a more experienced quarterback to help manage the game,” Cabot added.

Meanwhile, Deion Sanders has also made a case for his son. On the Barbershop podcast, he said he wants to meet Todd Monken in Cleveland to explain how to get the best out of Sanders. Coach Prime, who has coached Shedeur throughout his life, including at Jackson State and Colorado, even took a subtle shot at the previous Browns regime for not giving Shedeur an early opportunity during the season.

“I want to meet him,” Deion said. “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.”

Whether that conversation actually happens or not, Sanders has his work cut out for him for the rest of this offseason. The OTAs begin from 19th May, and the Mandatory Minicamp awaits right after in June. Shedeur will likely have a new official barber by then, but he has to prove he can be the Browns’ quarterback for the rough road stretch while managing a young roster and all the noise around him.