Deion Sanders Explains Why It Was 'Strange' Watching Shedeur's 1st NFL Start

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders admitted that it was strange seeing his son, Shedeur Sanders, make his first NFL start with the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

"I've never seen him play without me coaching him, so that was strange," he told Sean Neumann of People. "But it was good, and it was healthy, because I was just in straight dad mode. I wasn't in coach mode and I loved that I was able to see him gain the first victory."

Sanders has spent the entirety of the 2025 season as a backup for the Browns, but with Dillon Gabriel in the concussion protocol, the former Colorado quarterback was given his first start and led Cleveland to a 24-10 win. Sanders finished 11-of-20 for 209 yards with a touchdown, interception and one sack taken, and the Browns have since announced that he would remain the starter for Week 13.

The fifth-round pick is essentially auditioning for the quarterback position in the future, given that the Browns have two first-round picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL draft. A strong showing down the stretch, starting against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, would give the Browns something to mull over this offseason.