Quarterback Shedeur Sanders took first-team reps during the Cleveland Browns’ training session on Thursday. Sanders has been locked in one of the league’s tightest QB1 battles in the NFL offseason and is set to share first-team reps with veteran Deshaun Watson for the foreseeable future.
Todd Monken Details Meeting Deion Sanders at Browns’ Training Camp
On Thursday, the Browns hosted Shedeur’s father, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, during day two of their training camp. Coach Prime met with Browns coach Todd Monken and general manager Andrew Berry.
While speaking to reporters on Thursday, Monken revealed what he talked about with Coach Prime.
“I mean, that was Deion Sanders, you kidding me? Forget that it’s Shedeur’s dad, I mean, first of all, he did an unbelievable job with Shedeur. Great kid and obviously an elite football player,” Monken said. “Hell, baseball player. And then as a coach, I mean, wow. Everything that he has achieved. That was awesome.
“We just started telling stories, and we really didn’t get to almost any football,” he added. “We got into NIL and Jackson State and Colorado, and how we almost drafted him [Shedeur] in Baltimore, that crazy scenario, and what a great job Shedeur’s done since I’ve been here in terms of his development. It was good. It was part-coach, part-father, which is what it should be.”
Todd Monken on meeting with Deion Sanders: “That was awesome.” https://t.co/wA3GsXlF4v pic.twitter.com/8U9UVklut3
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) July 30, 2026
Shedeur played under Coach Prime for four seasons for the Jackson State Tigers and the Colorado Buffaloes before going pro. He won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in his final season of college football in 2024.
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Sanders has had a rough introduction to life in the NFL after experiencing one of the most mind-blowing draft night slides, from a potential top-10 pick to the No. 144 selection last year.
In addition, Sanders was buried in the quarterback depth chart behind veteran Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel at the start of the 2025 season. The former Buffs quarterback started his gradual rise after Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals and Gabriel suffered a concussion.
When Sanders took over QB1 duties, he led the Browns to a 3-4 record in seven starts. He earned a PFN QB Impact score of 63.0, the second-worst in the league after tallying 1,400 passing yards on 56.6% completion, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Watson returned to action after missing the 2025 season due to re-rupturing his Achilles tendon. He took the first-team reps on Wednesday and was picked by Denzel Ward and Damarri Mathis on back-to-back plays.
On Wednesday, Monken also revealed that he will play the starters during the Browns’ preseason matchups, starting with the August 15 game against the Chicago Bears.
