Deion Sanders sounds off on Browns, Shedeur Sanders' rookie year
Deion Sanders sounds off on Browns, Shedeur Sanders' rookie year
Cory Kinnan, Browns WireFri, May 15, 2026 at 1:50 PM UTC
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Deion Sanders sounds off on Browns, Shedeur Sanders' rookie year
The Cleveland Browns are entering a quarterback battle between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders under new head coach Todd Monken.
Ahead of that quarterback battle, however, Sanders' dad, Deion, has spoken out about how his son's first year in Cleveland went. Deion scrutinized how his son was covered by the media as a rookie, stating his son "went through hell and back" in his first season with the Browns. Here is what Deion had to say:
"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.”
How Shedeur Sanders' rookie year went with Browns
In his first season with the Browns, Sanders started as the third-string quarterback behind both Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel. With Gabriel entering the season with the status as the higher draft pick, this was a natural ordering on the depth chart. However, Flacco was then benched, elevating Gabriel into the starting role.
Sanders finally took over the role of backup quarterback when Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals. After a concussion sidelined Gabriel, Sanders made his first career start against the Las Vegas Raiders, leading the Browns to a victory in that game. He went on to lead the Browns to a 3-4 record in his seven starts in 2026, throwing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and ten interceptions.
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Deion wants to meet Todd Monken
Shedeur Sanders' father then went on later in the podcast episode to say that he intends to meet with Monken to discuss how to best unlock his son as a player. This does not seem like a meeting that Monken should take; it is not common practice for NFL head coaches to meet with the father of their players to discuss usage like it's a Little League team.
Nonetheless, that will not stop Sanders from trying. Here is what he said about potentially meeting Sanders' new head coach:
"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. Even a guy like Travis Hunter being drafted to Jacksonville and I’ve had him for the last three [seasons], don’t you think you would want to talk to me to ask me what gets him going and what backs him off? You would want to know that. So, I anticipate, and I can’t wait to have that conversation with Coach Monken.”
We'll see how that goes!
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Deion Sanders sounds off on Browns, Shedeur Sanders' rookie year
Source: “AOL Sports”
