Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders had quite an NFL preseason debut, helping the Browns defeat the Carolina Panthers 30-10 on Friday night. Sanders knew that he had a lot of people supporting him, none bigger than his father, Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders.
After leading the Browns to victory, Sanders shared his thoughts not only on his effort but also sent a sweet message to his father.
Did Shedeur Sanders’ Preseason Debut Silence His NFL Draft Doubters?
Sanders was chatting after the game with the NFL Network, where he shared his thoughts. “That was so fun, it was fun doing that,” a smiling Sanders said. “Sorry Pops, I didn’t do what I was supposed to do fully. But, you know, we’ll live to see another opportunity.”
Just how good was Shedeur on Friday night? Take a look at these numbers. He was 14-for-23 passing for 138 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Tyler Huntley came in to take over after Sanders’ exit.
“Sorry pops, I didn’t do what I was supposed to do fully.”
— Shedeur Sanders with a message to Deion after his preseason debut 👀
(📺 NFL Network) pic.twitter.com/a0iiydRWvJ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 9, 2025
Meanwhile, Deion Sanders was busy on X, firing off a number of posts. He first wrote, “Yes Lawd! Yes! @ShedeurSanders”. Later on, he posted, “Oh yeah what now! #CoachPrime”. Then, probably after Shedeur was pulled from the game, he wrote, “God is so Good!”
On a call with 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland, the rookie said after the game, “”I texted him before the game. I called him. He didn’t answer. I said ‘this is why I just don’t call you.’ He didn’t answer the phone. He sent me a voice message that’s pretty cool, overall.”
“I texted him before the game. I called him. He didn’t answer. I said ‘this is why I just don’t call you.’ He didn’t answer the phone. He sent me a voice message that’s pretty cool, overall.”#Browns QB Shedeur Sanders on whether he spoke to his father, Deion pic.twitter.com/fkwHNgOnV2
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) August 9, 2025
Sanders came into this NFL preseason with a desire to prove himself. He was pegged to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. But doubts filled some NFL general managers’ minds, and they steered clear from drafting Sanders. Ultimately, the Browns, despite having a pretty full quarterback room, chose Sanders in the fifth round.
Will Kevin Stefanski Give Sanders More First-Team Reps After Preseason Debut?
Reports coming out of the Browns’ training camp have noted that Sanders has been working primarily with third-string players. He was not getting many reps, if any, with first-teamers. Yet Friday night’s performance might give Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski some reason to change that around in the coming days.
Sanders even picked up some online love from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. James, of course, is a native of Ohio, and the Browns are his favorite NFL team.
Besides Sanders and Huntley, the Browns have Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel in the quarterback mix. Flacco has tons of experience and has had a bit of a renaissance in his NFL career in recent years.
The Cleveland coaching staff will review the game film to assess what went right and what went wrong. Yet it’s hard to believe that the Browns are disappointed at all in how Sanders went out there and showed his ability to pass and run when necessary.
