All Eyes on QB Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland Browns' Preseason Kickoff

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will make his NFL preseason debut tonight at 7:00 PM ET against the Carolina Panthers, hours after his father Deion Sanders spoke to him three times about the "strange" circumstances surrounding the fifth-round pick's first professional start.

The phone calls are evidence of the emotional weight of the moment for the Colorado Buffaloes football coach, who has been Shedeur's primary mentor throughout his football career. Sanders answered questions about the start to his son's NFL career during today's Colorado campus football media day.

Deion defended his son against media criticism ahead of tonight's game, stating, "Some of the stuff is just ignorant. Some of it is really adolescent. He far surpasses that, and I can't wait to see him play." The former NFL star expressed confidence about tonight's game while acknowledging the unique situation of not being able to coach his son for the first time.

"It's going to be a little weird. It's going to be a little strange; it really is. I gotta admit that," the elder Sanders said earlier in the day. "But I'm praying for him, and God has set him up and placed him in the perfect position that he needs to be in."

The father-son dynamic has been central to Shedeur's football journey, from Jackson State to Colorado and now to Cleveland.

Defining Success for Shedeur Sanders' Browns Debut

Success for Shedeur Sanders tonight centers on demonstrating the skills that made him a standout at Colorado while addressing the concerns that caused the prospect to fall in the draft earlier this year.

Although the box score will be a talking point after the game, at its core, Sanders' performance today is all about process over results. The Browns' coaching staff will be focusing on the young prospect's pre-snap reads, pocket presence, and ability to make split-second decisions under the pressure of an intense pass rush.