Shedeur Sanders has a habit of getting people talking without saying much. The Cleveland Browns quarterback, now in his second NFL season, has spent the stretch since late August behind Deshaun Watson, the team’s starting quarterback, on head coach Todd Monken’s depth chart. That is the backdrop for his latest move on social media.
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Sanders posted a dimly lit photo of a hot tub on Instagram and tagged the accounts @masterspas and @leisuretimewarehouse. The caption was brief, and it arrived in the wake of Cleveland’s home win over the Carolina Panthers.
“After a long day of work, there’s nothing better than relaxing,” Sanders posted on his Instagram.
Watson, meanwhile, has been the player handling the meaningful regular-season snaps. Against Carolina, the Browns quarterback completed 16 of 30 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Both touchdown passes went to tight end Harold Fannin Jr., with the second becoming the defining play of the afternoon. After Carolina took an 18-13 lead with 4:25 remaining, Watson guided Cleveland down the field before finding Fannin for a 14-yard touchdown with 1:48 left. Watson then connected with rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston on the two-point conversion.
The Browns’ official recap provides the key game details, noting that Watson orchestrated an eight-play, 55-yard scoring drive after Carolina moved ahead. Cleveland’s defense then stopped the Panthers on their final possession to secure the 21-18 victory.
The fourth quarter also became significant because Watson briefly left the game after taking a hard hit. He returned and subsequently delivered the go-ahead touchdown, something Monken specifically addressed after the game.
We had not coached well enough on offense. We had not played well enough. He [Watson] probably didn’t play as well as he wanted. But to get knocked down, then come back in and make a play, then the two-point conversion. This is about him. This is about that. The drive before that two, we stalled… we are certainly more than capable. But I am really happy for him,” Monken said.
Watson’s recent production helps explain why the Browns have continued with him under center. In the Week 2 victory over Tampa Bay, he completed 24 of 30 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He followed that with two more touchdown passes against Carolina. According to the Browns’ official player log, Watson has completed 40 of 60 passes for 382 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions across the two-game winning streak.
The change in atmosphere around Watson has also been noticeable. After the Panthers win, he praised the Cleveland crowd, saying:
“From the moment I woke up, the anticipation, the anxiousness, just to get in front of the fans, to get here, to get started,” Watson said. “The energy, the fans, it was amazing. They kept believing in us, and they kept the energy up overall; we didn’t give up. We fed on that energy.”
Sanders has been focused on his own development despite moving into a backup role. He has stressed the importance of taking things one day at a time and continuing to clean up the areas of his game that need work.
“I just take it a day at a time. I focus on things I’ve got to get better at, focus on the things I’ve got to be more crisp at and understand the flaws that I have and keep improving that.”
Sanders remains a backup alongside quarterback Dillon Gabriel, with Watson holding the starting job. Sanders started seven games as a rookie last season, going 3-4 with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. After the Panthers game, he was actually one of the first teammates to hug Watson. Following Week 2, Sanders also shared a three-word message on social media: “THANK YOU, GOD.”
Cleveland’s next challenge arrives Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. For now, Watson remains in charge of the offense, and the Browns enter the matchup having won two straight games.