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Shedeur Sanders praises new Browns coaching staff for 'embracing' his style of learning

Byington mugby: Alex Byington04/21/26_AlexByington

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders opened voluntary minicamp this week with a new number — the familiar No. 2 from his college days — and is clearly enjoying football again following a difficult rookie season. In fact, one year after his infamous NFL Draft slide, Sanders flashed his trademark smile and a renewed upbeat attitude after receiving a majority of the first-team quarterback reps during Tuesday’s minicamp practice — the first under new head coach Todd Monken.

“Coach Monken is great, and all the other coaches on the staff are extremely great,” Sanders told reporters Tuesday. “You understand they embrace you just as a person, and they push you each and every day — in the meeting room, on the field, in the weight room. It’s a new vibe, it’s a new energy.”

Sanders began this week’s minicamp as the Browns’ top option at quarterback, while veteran Deshaun Watson also earned occasional first-team reps Tuesday, according to NFL.com. Sanders and Watson entered the offseason entrenched in a public QB competition to be Cleveland’s starter in 2026, and the second-year pro is feeling good after getting the initial nod Tuesday.

Sanders, who is coming off a rollercoaster rookie season in which he completed just 56.6% of his pass attempts while throwing 10 interceptions to seven touchdowns across eight games in 2025, has particular praise for how Monken has embraced him as an individual. He was especially appreciative of how the new Browns coaches have adjusted their communication to best accommodate Sanders’ unique learning style.

“I think I know how I learn, so knowing that I know how I learn is great. You know, and the coaches are able to communicate in different ways to help you learn. And that’s why I appreciate the coaching staff,” Sanders added, via ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi, “because you could say somebody doesn’t know how to learn, but how did that person get to this level if he doesn’t know how to learn? So now you have to change (your) perspective and think … does he not know how to learn, or do I not know how to communicate with him? It’s as simple as that. So, I’m just thankful that my coaches now are extremely embracing.”

Whether that could also be viewed as a veiled shot at ex-Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, who was fired in January following a second-straight losing season, is up for debate. But Sanders’ continued effusive praise of how Monken and his staff have embraced him since he was hired in late January speaks volumes.

Of course, a lot could change between now and the start of the 2026 season — especially if Cleveland drafts a quarterback in the first few rounds of this weekend’s draft. But, at least for the moment, Sanders is all smiles as he opens his first minicamp under a new and highly supportive Browns coaching staff.