Deion Sanders Has One Request for Browns HC Todd Monken on Shedeur Sanders
Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders was not pleased with the NFL's handling of his son, Shedeur Sanders, during the 2025 NFL Draft. Now, he has also revealed a complaint about former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski that he hopes Todd Monken will address.
After an unexpected slide in the draft, Sanders was selected 144th overall by Cleveland and immediately entered a four-man competition for the starting quarterback job. The Browns initially turned to veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel before eventually handing Sanders the starting role for the final seven games of the season.
Sanders finished with a 3-4 record as a starter, throwing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. His performance, however, was not enough to secure the starting job heading into 2026, and he now finds himself competing once again with Gabriel and veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Cleveland has since hired a new head coach in Monken, and while Deion says he respects Monken and wants to meet with him, he also has a request.
"I love it, man, because [Monken is] a straight shooter," Deion said in a conversation with Garrett Bush. "He keeps it a buck."
"I want to meet him because I think it's vital that as a coach, not the dad, I can tell him a few things about [Shedeur], how to get him going. That wasn't asked of me a year ago. I don't understand it. Even a guy like Travis Hunter being drafted to Jacksonville, and I've had him for the last three [years], don't you think you would want to talk to me to ask me what gets him going and what backs him off? You would want to know that."
Monken, the former offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, has spoken highly about Sanders but has not committed to naming a starting quarterback. Following the Browns minicamp, reports suggested Watson appeared to be the early frontrunner for the role. It remains to be seen whether Deion Sanders' conversation with Monken could influence how the team approaches Shedeur's development moving forward.
"I can't wait to have that conversation with Coach Monken," Deion added.
Sanders has been coached by his father throughout most of his football journey, from Trinity Christian School to Jackson State and later at Colorado. The father-son duo first began their college football run at Jackson State before moving to Colorado in 2023, where they helped revive the program, with Sanders leading the Buffaloes to a 9-4 record in 2024 and earning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders was widely viewed as one of the top two quarterbacks in the class. However, negative reports regarding his attitude and behavior began surfacing during the pre-draft process. Combined with other concerns, he eventually fell to the fifth round.
Now, after showing flashes of promise in Cleveland, Sanders still faces an uphill battle to secure the Browns' starting quarterback job. Deion hopes his insight can help Monken better understand Shedeur's game and potentially put him in a better position to succeed.
Related: Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Issues Request Before Second NFL Season
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 4:33 AM.