Browns' Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson receive high praise from teammate

It isn’t easy being the son of an NFL legend, and Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders has had to learn that the hard way. The son of Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, the second-year passer has faced more than his fair share of criticism dating all the way back to his college days.

When playing with the Colorado Buffaloes, the younger Sanders was constantly under fire for his braggadocious comments and overly ambitious style of play. Despite all the concerns, Cleveland took a flyer on him in the fifth round last year, and he eventually worked his way up to becoming the starting quarterback.

Sanders was largely underwhelming, finishing his rookie campaign with just seven touchdowns to 10 interceptions in eight games. Some thought he did enough to enter the 2026 season as the Browns’ starter, but they clearly had other plans, as they threw quarterback Deshaun Watson into the mix and created one of the more awkward situations in the league.

Both men are engaged in a heated battle to determine Cleveland’s starting quarterback, and the early returns are promising. The team recently pulled off a stunning trade in which they sent defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Jared Verse, who plays the same position, and three draft picks.