Browns Coach Todd Monken: Meeting Deion Sanders Was 'Awesome'

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders made some waves earlier this offseason when he admonished the Cleveland Browns for not sending anyone from the organization to meet with him about his son, Shedeur Sanders, after the team drafted him in 2025. Browns head coach Todd Monken apparently didn't want to continue that trend.

Monken and Coach Prime at last met at Browns training camp on Thursday. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Monken describe it as "awesome" to meet the Hall of Famer.

"It's Deion Sanders. Are you kidding me? Forget that it's Shedeur's dad. I mean, first of all, he did an unbelievable job with Shedeur. Great kid... Everything that (Deion) has achieved. That's just awesome," Monken said.

"You know we almost drafted (Shedeur) in Baltimore. That crazy scenario. But what a great job Shedeur has done since I've been here, in terms of his development.

"It was good. Part-coach, part-father, which is what it should be."

Shedeur vs. Watson

The Browns' quarterback competition between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson has become one of the NFL's biggest storylines entering the 2026 season. Monken has declined to name a starter thus far after splitting first-team reps between the two passers throughout OTAs and mandatory minicamp.

Watson enters camp with the experience edge, having completed 66.2% of his career passes for 17,904 yards, 123 touchdowns, and 48 interceptions, while Sanders is looking to build on an up-and-down rookie campaign in which he threw for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.

Sanders has drawn praise from coaches and team observers for his improved command of the offense, decision-making, and pre-snap recognition, keeping the race much closer as we enter the height of training camp.

But it's also unclear if either of the two quarterbacks has much of a future in Cleveland beyond this year. Whoever wins the starting job is going to have a devil of a time playing well enough to earn an extension while the loser is probably going to be lucky to play in 2026 or find a new team in 2027.