The connection between Todd Monken and Shedeur Sanders just got a little more interesting-and a whole lot more public.
In a recent video shared by the Cleveland Browns, Monken, the team’s newly hired head coach, greeted Sanders inside the Browns’ facility with a surprisingly candid comment: “We tried to draft your a-- last year, for God’s sake. You remember that, right? Someday, we’ll get a chance to talk about that.”
That brief moment confirmed what had been a lingering rumor since September-that the Baltimore Ravens, where Monken was offensive coordinator at the time, had targeted Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft. According to reports, the Ravens were eyeing Sanders with the 141st overall pick.
But plans changed when it became clear Sanders wasn’t keen on landing behind a franchise quarterback like Lamar Jackson. Understandably so-being a backup to a two-time MVP isn’t exactly the fastest path to the field.
Fast forward to now, and the Browns’ front office seems to have made Sanders a central part of their future planning. A recent report noted that during their head coaching search, Cleveland asked Monken and other candidates how they would develop Sanders if given the job.
The implication? That getting starter-level play from Sanders was more than a hypothetical-it was a priority.
And now Monken has the keys.
This isn’t just about a coach and a young quarterback crossing paths. There’s a history here, even if it’s brief and built on what might’ve been.
Sanders, for his part, has kept things low-key. When asked back in September about the Ravens rumor and his draft-day slide to the fifth round, he brushed it off: “You wouldn’t believe my memory don’t even go back that far,” he said.
“I don’t remember anything pre-draft. I remember I’m here, I go to practice every day, and there’s a 24-hour rule.”
That kind of tunnel vision is classic quarterback mentality-focused on the now, not the noise.
Still, it's hard to ignore the pre-draft chatter that followed Sanders into the league. There were whispers that he didn’t handle the process well, including a report that he struggled during a visit with then-Giants head coach Brian Daboll. That visit didn’t lead to a pick; instead, New York landed Jaxson Dart, who went on to become a finalist for the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year.
But none of that matters now. Sanders is in Cleveland.
Monken is in Cleveland. And while Deshaun Watson remains the veteran in the room, the Browns clearly see something worth developing in Sanders.
Let’s be clear-this isn’t a quarterback controversy yet. One lighthearted moment on camera doesn’t mean Sanders is leapfrogging Watson on the depth chart.
But it does offer a glimpse into how much belief Monken already has in the young signal-caller. He wanted him in Baltimore.
Now, he’s got him in Cleveland.
And that might be the most intriguing quarterback storyline to watch in Northeast Ohio this offseason.