Todd Monken praises Shedeur Sanders' response after learning he would be Deshaun Watson's backup on the Browns

S hedeur Sanders has been handed a difficult challenge before the Cleveland Browns have even reached Week 1, but head coach Todd Monken believes the young quarterback has responded in exactly the right way.

Cleveland ended its offseason quarterback competition on Monday by naming Deshaun Watson the starter for the opening game against the J acksonville Jaguars on September 13.

Sanders , who had been competing with Watson for the job throughout training camp and the preseason, will begin the campaign as the veteran's backup.

For Sanders , the decision represented a setback after he had spent the summer trying to establish himself as Cleveland's long-term answer at the position. Yet Monken said the quarterback's reaction was notably positive.

The Browns coach described his conversation with Sanders as “awesome” and praised the 24-year-old for understanding that his development should be viewed over a longer timeline rather than through the disappointment of one immediate decision.

“You talk about somebody that really understands the long game,” Monken told reporters. “That really I think has come to understand the long game. What are we really in this for? What am I in it for? To have the Browns be an organization that people aspire to be. The long game. Where do we want to be in the long term? He understands that as well as a quarterback.”

Monken also revealed that Sanders was smiling when he learned that Watson had won the competition.

“All he had was a smile on his face cause he understands what really is in front of him,” Monken said. “Not really short maybe long-term decision. He’s going to work his butt off to get better and he has already.”

Sanders now has a different path to the Browns' starting job

The decision does not necessarily mean Sanders has been removed from Cleveland's long-term plans.

Monken emphasized that Watson's status is not intended to be reassessed on a weekly basis, but he also acknowledged that Sanders has made significant progress during the competition.

“Ultimately, we felt over the course of training camp and the offseason that he was ahead of Shedeur,” Monken said. “Shedeur has closed that gap, for sure, and that's a credit to him.”

The preseason numbers illustrate why the competition was difficult to separate. Through two preseason games, Watson completed 16 of 27 attempts for 162 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception. Sanders completed 15 of 22 passes for 153 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Cleveland ultimately decided Watson offered the best chance to begin the season effectively, particularly with the Browns opening on the road. Monken said the decision was based on the entire body of work rather than a single performance.

For Sanders , meanwhile, the immediate objective is to continue developing while remaining ready if his opportunity arrives. His situation could change quickly if Watson struggles or suffers another injury, particularly given the veteran's recent history.

Watson missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from Achilles injuries and has played only 19 games for Cleveland since joining the team in 2022.

The choice has also generated significant criticism because of Watson's difficult relationship with Cleveland supporters.

He was booed heavily during the Browns' preseason loss to Buffalo and initially described the crowd's reaction as “disrespectful” and “personal” before apologizing for those comments.

That controversy makes Sanders ' composure even more important. Rather than publicly challenge the decision, the quarterback appears prepared to use the situation as another stage in his development.

Monken's comments suggest the Browns see value in that mentality. Sanders may not be the starter when Cleveland travels to Jacksonville, but the coach's praise indicates that the organization believes the quarterback is still progressing toward a potentially larger role.

For now, Watson has the job. Sanders has something else: time to learn, improve and wait for his next opportunity.