Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson learn their fate as the Browns name their starting quarterback for the season opener

Right after the conclusion of last season, the Cleveland Browns decided to dismiss coach Kevin Stefanski after six productive years that featured a pair of Coach of the Year honors and playoff appearances, the most by any Browns coach since the late 1980s under Marty Schottenheimer.

However, following back-to-back last-place finishes in the AFC North capped by a rough 8-26 record , the front office opted for a fresh direction by naming Todd Monken as the new head coach.

Monken, who previously served as the Browns' offensive coordinator back in 2019, spent the last three seasons orchestrating the high-powered Baltimore Ravens offense after winning back-to-back National Championships as the offensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs .

Upon taking over in Cleveland, his immediate test was settling a high-stakes quarterback battle for Week 1 between veteran Deshaun Watson and young rising talent Shedeur Sanders , a tough choice that has now officially been resolved.

Deshaun Watson Named Week 1 Starter Over Shedeur Sanders

The winner of the tightly contested training camp and preseason competition is Deshaun Watson . Coach Monken ultimately leaned on Watson’s seven seasons of starting experience, trusting that he is fully recovered after sitting out the entire 2025 season while aggressively rehabbing a twice-torn right Achilles tendon suffered back in October 2024.

Watson is now entering the final year of what is widely considered one of the most polarizing contracts in league history, a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed deal executed after the Browns surrendered three first-round draft picks to acquire him in 2022.

Having started just 19 games over his first three years in Cleveland, Watson carries roughly $86 million in remaining salary-cap commitments past this season, making this almost certainly his final campaign in orange and brown as the franchise builds around one of the youngest rosters in the league.

Throughout the spring and training camp, Watson and Sanders split first-team reps evenly, continuing the trend through joint practices with the Buffalo Bills and splitting preseason action.

Now, the spotlight shifts squarely onto Watson to prove he can command a winning unit, knowing another setback could mark the end of his starting opportunities in the NFL.

Navigating Early Road Tests and Keeping Shedeur Sanders Ready

Strategic foresight also played a role in the timing of this announcement, as the Browns open the regular season with two consecutive road games before finally returning home in Week 3. This scheduling layout allows Watson a brief window to perform away from home-field friction, particularly following the loud jeers he faced after entering Saturday's preseason matchup.

If Watson stumbles early against hostile crowds, Shedeur Sanders , who gained valuable experience last year by starting seven games (3-4 record) and stepping in during difficult stretches, stands ready to take the reins in front of the Cleveland faithful.

Sanders is intimately familiar with high-pressure quarterback rooms from his rookie campaign, and while Watson enters with the upper hand to open September, the young challenger remains just a heartbeat away from his next major career opportunity