It’s unclear who will be starting under center for the Cleveland Browns this season, but Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders both appear to be the top candidates.
Sanders, as he always has, will have a little bit of representation in his corner from his father, Deion.
Deion Sanders, Todd Monken Expected to Meet in Cleveland
The Browns cycled through the likes of Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Sanders at quarterback last season, never finding a true, full-time option. Sanders started seven games, completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He also rushed for another touchdown.
It was a ghastly showing for Sanders, who was selected in the fifth-round of last year’s draft. But his aspirations aren’t dead in the water yet; a strong summer could vault him into the No. 1 quarterback role over the veteran in Watson. Before that happens, though, his father, Deion, is going to sit down with the Browns’ new head coach, Todd Monken.
What they’re going to discuss isn’t for certain, but Deion has explicitly stated that he’s going to approach Monken not as a father, but as a coach.
“No shade — and I do believe Deion would do this for some of his other players — but the dad and coach are inseparable in this case,” writes former ESPN analyst Bomani Jones.
Deion Sanders: I want to meet Todd Monken to talk about Shedeur—as a coach, not as a dad. https://t.co/z1ipDVpF8p
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 15, 2026
Perhaps no father-son duo aside from LeBron and Bronny James has attracted more headlines in the sports world than Deion and Shedeur. The latter of the pair played for two seasons at Colorado under the head-coaching of his father before declaring for the NFL Draft in 2025.
Deion, a Hall of Fame cornerback in his own right, has never minced words. That’s especially true when it comes to supporting his son, but that bias has taken a stranglehold in recent years. Now, the 58-year-old Sanders appears to have Shedeur-tinted glasses.
After seeing the news of Deion’s reported desire to meet with Monken, one NFL personality essentially conceded that Watson has won the quarterback battle before it even begins.
“Yeah 4 [Watson’s jersey number] on pace to start,” he wrote in a post on X.
Yeah 4 on pace to start https://t.co/W8nEhvc7aD
— year 23 (@johnrivers131) May 15, 2026
Monken has a mountain on his shoulders, being tasked with turning one of the most unsuccessful NFL franchises into a consistent playoff contender. The team had a 52.0 PFSN Offense Impact score in 2025, ranking last in the league.
The head coach, nonetheless, has a boatload of experience, with a decade’s worth of insight into pro offenses.
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Nitty Gritto Sports Talk, a Baltimore-based radio station, echoed the sentiments of an earlier user. “Deshaun is the starter, champ,” he said, aimed at Deion.
Deshaun is the starter, champ https://t.co/a8aonjSX8N
— nittygrittysportstalk (@nittygritty410) May 15, 2026
Even Browns fans themselves are fed up with the seemingly manufactured controversy brewing in the middle of May. “This is so embarrassing and pathetic,” one fan wrote.
This is so embarrassing and pathetic https://t.co/5YRrNdLSEN
— WatZynMVP (@MuniLotMenace) May 15, 2026
After the departures of Sanders and Travis Hunter, who was drafted No. 2 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars last spring, Deion struggled to get acquainted with life without them in Colorado. The Buffaloes’ nine-win program dropped to just three last season.
Even some of Coach Prime’s biggest supporters can’t get on board with his antics this offseason. “Imagine if every dad decided to do this, or even just the dads that are coaches — lots of players are sons of coaches in high school or college or pros! This is out of line, and I love Deion,” wrote Connie Carberg, the league’s first female scout.
According to PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, Sanders posted an impact score of 56.7 last season, ranking fourth-worst in the league. He’s currently competing with Watson, Gabriel, and rookie quarterback Taylen Green for the starting spot.
