The Cleveland Browns named Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback to begin the 2026 NFL season, leaving Shedeur Sanders on the bench as a backup option. During his press conference on Tuesday, head coach Todd Monken was asked what went into the decision to begin Sanders' second NFL campaign on the sideline. In his response, he expressed excitement regarding the young quarterback's "long game" with the franchise.
"We made that decision, and where he’s at today is a byproduct of that. I’m excited about the long game for him," Monken said, via the team's official transcript. "There are certain things he has to continue to work on, and he’s going to continue to grow leaps and bounds because he’s a sponge; takes it all in, he really does.
So, I just think it’s a matter of time before we get a chance to see that.” Sanders started seven games in his rookie season with the Browns, completing 56.6% of his pass attempts for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The Browns will open up their regular-season schedule with a Week 1 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13.
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