Deion Sanders Says He Called Shedeur 3 Times Before Start in Browns Preseason Opener

Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders called his son, Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders, three times before he starts his team's preseason opener on Friday at the Carolina Panthers.

This is a big moment for the younger Sanders, who is one of four quarterbacks competing in training camp right now for the QB1 role in Cleveland. The first unofficial depth chart lists Sanders fourth behind Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, in that order.

Sanders has an uphill climb to land the job. Zac Jackson of The Athletic reported on Aug. 4 that Flacco is a "strong favorite" for the job.

"Neither of the rookies ever had much of a realistic chance to win the starting job this August, and over the last week, Flacco has gone from presumed favorite to strong favorite."

Emory Hunt of Football Gameplan also noted that a good preseason effort may not be enough for Sanders to make depth chart waves.

This is still a great opportunity for Sanders to showcase his talents. He was once regarded as a potential candidate for the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft alongside Miami signal-caller Cam Ward, who did end up earning that distinction when the Tennessee Titans selected him. Meanwhile, Sanders stunningly fell all the way to the fifth round to the Browns, who had chosen Gabriel two rounds earlier.

Now many eyes will be on Sanders as he looks to prove the naysayers wrong. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.