Shedeur Sanders faced several challenges during his first season with the Cleveland Browns. Recently, Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders shared his thoughts on his son’s time with the team. 

As the Browns prepare for the 2026 season under new head coach Todd Monken, the quarterback competition remains one of the biggest storylines in Cleveland.

During an appearance on The Barbershop podcast, Deion Sanders admitted he was surprised the Browns never reached out to him to better understand how to help Shedeur adjust to the NFL level.

Sanders said, “I want to meet him. Because I think it’s vital that as a coach, not the dad, I can tell him a few things about [Shedeur], how to get him going. That wasn’t asked of me a year ago. I don’t understand it.” 

He further suggested that it would be in the franchise's best interests to find out what motivated the promising rookie most. He was looking forward to meeting the Browns HC and have a discussion on how to unlock Shedeur's full potential.

“Even a guy like Travis Hunter being drafted to Jacksonville and I’ve had him for the last three [seasons], don’t you think you would want to talk to me to ask me what gets him going and what backs him off? You would want to know that. So, I anticipate, and I can’t wait to have that conversation with Coach Monken,” he added. 

Shedeur’s rookie season in Cleveland came with several challenges. He started the year as the Browns’ No. 4 quarterback and did not get first-team reps during training camp. His NFL debut came in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens after Dillon Gabriel suffered a head injury.

Questions were later raised about whether Cleveland had properly prepared the rookie quarterback before throwing him into game action.

Shedeur eventually started the final seven games of the season as the Browns finished with a 5-12 record before parting ways with former head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Although veteran Deshaun Watson is currently viewed as the favorite to start this season, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel continue competing for opportunities ahead of mandatory minicamp. 

Shedeur Sanders will continue competing for a larger role under Todd Monken, whom Deion Sanders recently praised as a “straight shooter.” 

Deion Sanders Speaks on Shedeur Sanders’ Draft Criticism

While discussing Shedeur Sanders’ rookie season with the Cleveland Browns, Deion Sanders also spoke about the criticism his son faced during the 2025 NFL Draft process.

After successful runs at Jackson State and Colorado, Shedeur entered the draft as one of the most talked-about quarterback prospects. However, he unexpectedly slipped into Day 3 before the Browns traded up to select him with the 144th overall pick.

Several reports later questioned his professionalism and interview performances during the predraft process. However, Deion Sanders strongly pushed back against those claims.

Deion Sanders insisted, “It was some ignorant things came out about him predraft and all that, and that was a lie.”

Coach Prime also denied reports suggesting Shedeur appeared unprepared during meetings with NFL teams.

“He would never go into a meeting with headphones on. He would never go into a meeting unprepared,” Sanders said. “There’s no way he could accomplish the things he accomplished without being prepared.”

Despite the criticism surrounding both the draft process and his rookie season, Shedeur Sanders now heads into 2026 with another opportunity to prove himself in Cleveland. 

With a new coaching staff now in place, Shedeur Sanders will look to make a stronger impact in Cleveland during the 2026 season.

What do you think about Deion Sanders’ comments regarding his son’s rookie season with the Browns? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. 

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Written by

Divyanshi Raj

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit