There was a maelstrom of debate when the Cleveland Browns coaching staff ultimately decided to run with Deshaun Watson as the starter for the 2026/27 NFL season, relegating Shedeur Sanders to a backup role.
The Browns’ decision has since been scrutinized non-stop. Now, Pittsburgh Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger is joining in.
Big Ben made it clear he was unhappy with Cleveland’s choice, ripping the Browns for overlooking their second-year quarterback.
Ben Roethlisberger Unhappy as Browns Choose Deshaun Watson Over Shedeur Sanders
While head coach Todd Monken has repeatedly praised Sanders for his progress throughout the offseason and training camp, the second-year quarterback ultimately failed to win the competition against Watson.
As a result, Sanders will begin the season as Cleveland’s backup. However, the decision caught Roethlisberger by surprise, prompting him to share his thoughts on his “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger” podcast.
“Shedeur went down the field like 6-for-6, touchdowns right away,” Roethlisberger said. “Then all of a sudden it’s like no, we’re starting the other guy.”
Roethlisberger believes the decision could have serious consequences for Cleveland, particularly if Watson fails to perform at a high level.
“It’s like their playoff hopes ended early before it even started,” Roethlisberger remarked.
Big Ben on The Browns choosing Deshaun Watson as the Starting Quarterback:
“Just like their playoff hopes it ended early before it even started.” 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/FhdBjlc6S1
— PickensBurgh 🫡 (@PickensBurgh) August 25, 2026
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The concern was also supported by The Ringer’s Sheil Kapadia, who highlighted an alarming statistical comparison in an X post.
“Over the last two years, among 78 qualifying quarterbacks, Shedeur Sanders’ 2025 performance ranked 77th in EPA per pass play,” Kapadia wrote. “The only performance that was worse statistically? Deshaun Watson’s 2024, which ranked 78th.”
Sanders finished his rookie season with 1,400 passing yards and seven touchdowns while throwing 10 interceptions. His performance ranked second-to-last in PFN’s QB Impact Metrics, with only Cam Ward recording a lower mark.
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However, according to The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd, NFL quarterbacks have recorded at least 300 yards on 481 occasions since Watson arrived in Cleveland. Sanders is among those quarterbacks, but Watson is notably absent from that list.
The veteran quarterback has failed to live up to expectations after signing a record-breaking five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract with Cleveland in March 2022.
Still, the Browns seemingly believe Watson is the more trustworthy option to lead the team into the season. If Cleveland truly had complete confidence in Sanders, he would likely be starting in Week 1.
That said, if the Browns get off to a slow start or Watson continues to struggle, the team could eventually turn to Sanders and hand the second-year quarterback the starting job.
