Shedeur Sanders has heard the noise his entire life. Being the son of a Hall of Famer means the spotlight never dims, and the criticism never stops. So when the Cleveland Browns quarterback finds himself in a training camp battle with Deshaun Watson this summer, his father — Colorado head coach Deion Sanders — isn’t worried one bit.
“He’s gonna face haters like he’s always had,” Deion told reporters this week. “He’s always been really undervalued, not really appreciated like he should, and he always comes through. He likes when odds are stacked up against him.”
Shedeur’s path to the NFL was anything but traditional. After a standout 2024 season at Colorado — where he led the Buffaloes to a 9-4 record and their first bowl appearance since 2016 — draft analysts initially projected him as a top-10 pick. But a combination of factors pushed him down boards all the way to the fifth round, where the Browns scooped him up with pick No. 153.
Last season, Shedeur entered the year third on the depth chart behind Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel. By midseason, he had earned the starting job, finishing with seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and a 3-4 record as a starter. Not a perfect debut — but context matters. The Browns were 2-8 when he took over, and the roster around him was in shambles.
Now, with the team trading reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett this offseason, expectations in Cleveland are low again. That doesn’t mean the stakes are small for the 24-year-old quarterback. He’s locked in a competition with Watson, who was the Browns’ starter before tearing his Achilles in 2024. The job is up for grabs — and Shedeur wants it.
“I’m his dad. Of course I’ve talked to him,” Deion added with a laugh. “He’s not gonna face anything new that he hasn’t faced his entire life. He’s always been up against the eight ball.”
Beyond football, the elder Sanders is partnering with Depend for Men’s Health Month on a campaign called “Prime Wake Up Call,” aimed at encouraging men to schedule health screenings for early detection of bladder cancer. Sanders himself was diagnosed with invasive bladder cancer last year and had surgery to remove it.
“Early detection really saved my life tremendously,” Sanders said. “We sometimes shy away from going to the doctors because we’re men, where the bravado ends up in us. Lay your butt down and get a checkup.”
Sanders is featured on Depend Real Fit packaging for the first time — a point of pride he’s happy to use in family trash talk. “I tell my kids, ‘Go to Walmart and see your daddy,’” he joked. “My mom uses the product too. It’s bragging rights.”
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