BEREA, Ohio – One of the first things discovered during a quick visit with Shedeur Sanders is that there is no (unintended) free pub coming from the Prime Time kid who is nobody’s slouch when it comes to parlaying ball into brand and bank.
Sanders and the other quarterbacks have gone through the Cleveland Browns training camp with small cameras affixed above the facemasks on their helmets – let’s call it a “QB Cam” – that conceivably provide another techy tool for further review.
Tell me about the GoPro camera. Does it help in breaking things down?
“Man, my eyes work better than any camera out there,” Sanders told USA TODAY Sports, standing at the edge of the field following a practice last week.
So, you get no use from it?
“I close my eyes and think
about what I thought in that situation, and I do it,” he added.
I’m curious, because I haven’t seen one of those…
Sanders cuts it off right there, fella, flashing a wide Hollywood smile as he insisted, “We ain’t giving GoPro no free promo, man.”
LOL.
Hey, it’s big business. Football and brand identity. Sanders, 24, is already an all-pro when it comes to this. He earned $17.7 million from the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) during his rookie season from group licensing deals – a record amount that nearly doubled the previous mark of $9.5 million achieved by Tom Brady, yeah that Tom Brady, in 2021-22. And this doesn’t include a portfolio of individual endorsement deals with the likes of Nike, AT&T, Beats by Dre, Ralph Lauren and Gatorade.
This is in his DNA. A generation ago, Shedeur’s father, Deion, was not only one of his era’s most phenomenal athletes, but also a game-changer when it came to marketing. Now, along comes the immensely popular son with a knack for building a brand.
Shoot, when Sanders was in his final year at Colorado, he reportedly had 14 NIL deals worth $6.5 million – an amount that eclipsed the entire total of the first NFL contract he received (4 years, $4.65 million) after his tumble to the fifth round of the 2025 draft ignited a three-day draft viewership record.
Shedeur Sanders' battle to be Browns' QB1
Still, it’s the other type of business that is top of mind these days. Sanders is in the thick of a real competition against Deshaun Watson for the starting quarterback job – the legitimacy emphasized because a year ago it never seemed real when then-coach Kevin Stefanski called it a competition – and will draw his first start of the summer on Saturday against the Buffalo Bills.
He came off the bench for mixed results at Chicago last Saturday, including an ugly interception for which he lamented the execution. Now he’ll go with the first team, which was always the plan for new coach Todd Monken. One starts the preseason opener, the other starts the next week. During camp, Monken has rolled similarly, alternating the days that Sanders and Watson work with the first team. Monken will likely make his call before the final preseason game against the New England Patriots on Aug. 27.
Asked how he’s flowing with this arrangement, Sanders said: “I took a deep breath of everything, just looked at everything for what it is, and how thankful I am for the chance to be out here every day and just maximize it. So that’s all I focus on, my job, and how I can improve each and every day. Everything else will handle itself.”
Sanders allows that it is his goal to be a more “complete” quarterback, bolstered by a better understanding of the NFL game. That not only involves making plays and avoiding negative plays but also demonstrates command of Monken’s system and the ability to manage the operation of the offensive unit.
Speeding up the process
Coaches have been harping on efficiency, aiming to reduce eight seconds in the process from calling in the play to the quarterback’s helmet to the snap of the football. The extra time would allow more time for the quarterback to decipher defenses and likely develop a better rhythm for executing plays.
“It’s good, overall,” Sanders said. “I think it helps you think fast, process fast. It’s a great recipe to have success.”
How such flow fits in a bigger picture was evident as the sloppiness of the offense reflected by a rash of pre-snap penalties became a hot topic during camp. No doubt, that’s one way – commit a false start, line up illegally or not get the snap off in time – to put a drive in the hole. But it’s tough to put it on the quarterback when, say, a lineman jumps before the snap. Or so you’d think.
“Overall, as a quarterback, you’re the leader of the team. So, you’ve got to get everything straight,” Sanders said. “I mean, that’s just where it stands. You can’t really have those things happen on your watch.”
Speaking of vision, Sanders certainly gained some insight after starting seven games last season. Injury (fellow rookie Gabriel Dillon, concussion) and other circumstances (the trade of veteran Joe Flacco) opened the door of opportunity. And Sanders showed enough – he won his first start, then finished strong in leading the Browns to back-to-back wins – to set up his shot for this time around.
Remember, Sanders trusts his eyes better than any camera, which underscored the lessons learned from his initial real-time NFL playing experiences.
“What did I gain from seven starts? My own point of view,” he said.
“I don’t think I’m a dumb human being, you know. I think I’m very bright. So it was kind of like figuring the lay of the land, having a better understanding of everything. So, of course, when you first get me out there, you may get me. But when I’m prepared…when I have all these different variables of things that I can control, then I’ll be able to put myself and the team in the best situation.”
The Monken Factor
The connection with his new coach figures to be huge. Monken, 60, embodies some old-school principles, for sure, but with an engaging, high-energy persona wrapped with unapologetic frankness, he seems quite capable of relating to today’s athletes.
“He’s cool,” Sanders said. “Exactly how he is on the podium is exactly how he is every day. He’s the same. That’s what I appreciate. He’s the same, every time, and he’s just going to authentically be himself. I like that.”
It was striking, though, that Shedeur’s Hall of Fame-minted father, Deion, came to Browns camp earlier this summer and visited with Monken before running his own camp to begin his fourth season as Colorado’s coach.
Go ahead, point to the optics of a father visiting his son’s coach – which brings to mind one of the knocks I heard from at least two NFL decision-makers trying to explain why Sanders went from a projected first-rounder to the fifth round. They wondered whether Deion’s presence would be a detriment.
In this case, though, Shedeur added context in striking the perfect tone.
“I stay out of that stuff,” he said. “I don’t focus on that. What him and Monken (were) talking about, that ain’t got nothing to do with me. I’ve got to practice, and I’ve got plays I’ve got to execute every day.”
While armed, naturally, with some fatherly advice.
“He told me to handle mine, and he’s going to handle his,” Shedeur said.
Which can surely be applied with 20-20 vision.
Follow Bell on X: @JarrettBell
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'I'm very bright.' Shedeur Sanders on his evolution and Browns QB1 battle | Exclusive
