The Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders waited eight weeks, but he finally got the opportunity to make his first start of the 2026 season. After Deshaun Watson suffered a concussion in Week 8 and remained limited in practice during the week leading up to the Week 9 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, head coach Todd Monken named Sanders the starting quarterback. While Sanders couldn’t secure a win for Cleveland, his performance certainly turned heads.
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Now, his father and Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders was asked how he felt watching his son finally get the opportunity he had waited weeks for. In response, Coach Prime gave a telling answer while recalling the media scrutiny Shedeur has faced since entering the NFL.
“It’s good, but it’s taught him so much,” said Deion, via ESPN Cleveland on X. “He’s matured so much, and he’s grown so much in the last year or so, that I’m really, really proud of it, because he’s never had to deal with circumstances. And we’ve always dealt with chatter.”
“Your last name’s Sanders, you’re gonna deal with chatter. We’ve always dealt with that from youth all the way up. But the level of dysfunction that permeates around is crazy. And, for him, to rock steady and find his balance, it’s wonderful seeing him mature, especially when we’re in the same room.”
Shedeur has faced chatter around his NFL career ever since his historic draft fall in 2025. He entered the 2025 NFL Draft as a potential first-round pick, but ultimately fell all the way to the fifth round when the Browns selected him with the 144th overall pick. Deion later explained what his son went through and how that experience forced him to mature spiritually.
“When he takes off his shirt, I see the scars on his back that he’s been through hell, but he’s made it through hell,” said Deion. “He kept going and he matured, not like he was a child, but he matured spiritually.”
Entering the 2026 season, Shedeur wasn’t automatically handed the Browns’ starting job. He competed with Deshaun Watson during training camp and preseason, with the two quarterbacks splitting reps. Watson ultimately won the starting job and opened the season as Cleveland’s quarterback.
However, during the Week 8 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Watson suffered a helmet-to-helmet hit from safety Jaquan Brisker. He was initially evaluated and cleared to return, but he began experiencing concussion symptoms on Monday night and reported them to the Browns’ medical staff Tuesday morning. Cleveland subsequently placed him in the concussion protocol on Wednesday and eventually named Shedeur as the QB1.
But the second-year signal caller had already been through a similar situation as a rookie. During the 2025 season, the quarterback went 3-4 in seven starts (eight games) after earning the QB1 nod and threw for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
That experience has appeared to have influenced how he handled his second season. Before the Saints game, Shedeur repeatedly emphasized that nothing about his preparation had changed, even though he suddenly had a chance to start.
“Last year, I was able to see what I needed to see, feel different things during the games, and understand what I need to get better at,” Shedeur said. “So, then going into this offseason, we worked on that, and training camp, of course, in this offseason, and overall, I’m just excited for the opportunity.”
While Shedeur served as Watson’s backup for the first eight weeks, he remained ready. He stayed involved in quarterback meetings, participated in the team’s additional post-practice “Hungry Dawgs” work, and remained close to Watson and quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian on the sideline during games.
Against the Saints, Shedeur impressed, completing 19-of-31 passes for 297 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.
For Deion, though, Sanders’ performance against the Saints was about more than the numbers. After everything his son had endured since entering the NFL, seeing him remain patient, stay prepared, and finally make the most of his opportunity offered a clear sign of the growth Deion had been talking about.