Shedeur Sanders is gearing up for a crucial quarterback battle with Deshaun Watson as the Cleveland Browns training camp opens on July 28.
Before the second-year quarterback could turn his focus entirely to the field, though, he found himself called out once again by former NFL head coach Rex Ryan.
Deion Sanders Jr. Takes Issue with Rex Ryan’s Comments on Shedeur Sanders
Behind-the-scenes footage from a recent photoshoot, in which Sanders posed in front of dozens of his No. 12 Browns jerseys, drew a pointed response from Ryan on X.
“Get a load of this kid,” Ryan said. “Great talent needs to realize as a ‘franchise’ QB there has to be more we than me… Cmon man”
Sanders’ older brother, Deion Sanders Jr., didn’t let the criticism sit for long and replied, “Why does it bother you so much?”
Why does it bother you so much? https://t.co/72Kx0BlKX5
— Deion Sanders Jr (@DeionSandersJr) July 20, 2026
This is far from the first time Ryan has targeted Sanders, as he raised issues about the then-rookie quarterback back last year. He said, “Something’s missing with this kid. This kid talks and he runs his mouth. Like he said, ‘I can be a starting quarterback’ with his arms crossed like this. Get your (expletive) in the front row and study and do all that… Quit being an embarrassment that way.”
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What has changed since then is Sanders’ standing on the roster. After starting the 2025 season as Cleveland’s third-string quarterback behind Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel, Sanders worked his way into seven starts and threw for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions over the course of the season.
According to PFN’s QB Impact Metric, Sanders posted an impact score of 63.0, which ranked second-worst in the league, only behind Cam Ward (61.6).
The numbers weren’t dominant, but they were enough to earn him a seat at the table. Now, he and Watson split first-team reps throughout OTAs and minicamp, and there will be a tightly contested quarterback battle during training camp.
Watson still holds the edge due to his experience and contract value, but Sanders showed enough improvement this offseason to give himself a chance to win the job.
If Sanders plays well enough to hold off Watson and prevent Cleveland from investing a high draft pick in a quarterback next April, the conversation around him will shift permanently. For that to happen, though, the noise, off the field, has to take a backseat to production.
