Shedeur Sanders and Todd Monken are finally on the same sideline - just not in the way either of them originally expected.
When the Cleveland Browns introduced Monken as their new head coach, the former Ravens offensive coordinator had a candid moment with Sanders that pulled back the curtain on what could’ve been. In a video shared by the team, Monken greeted his new quarterback with a hug and a revelation: “We tried to draft your ass last year, for God’s sake. It’s all worked out.”
That quick exchange said a lot. It confirmed what had been reported last fall - that Baltimore had real interest in Sanders during the 2025 NFL Draft.
According to reports at the time, the Ravens were eyeing Sanders in the fifth round. But Sanders reportedly made it clear he wasn’t interested in sitting behind Lamar Jackson with little chance to see the field.
So the Ravens passed.
Fast forward a few months, and Sanders landed in Cleveland, where things unfolded a lot differently - and a lot quicker - than anyone expected.
The Browns traded up to grab Sanders with the 144th overall pick. At the time, he was seen as a developmental prospect, not someone expected to see the field early.
He started the 2025 offseason buried on the depth chart, sitting behind veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, as well as fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. But that pecking order didn’t last long.
Flacco and Pickett were both traded. Gabriel struggled and then got hurt. That opened the door for Sanders, and once he stepped in, he didn’t look back.
Now, to be fair, his rookie numbers weren’t eye-popping. He completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, with seven touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
He added 169 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. Not exactly Pro Bowl stuff, but also not bad considering the circumstances - a midseason promotion, a shuffled depth chart, and the pressure of trying to stabilize a team still trying to find its identity.
And now comes Monken, a coach with a creative offensive mind and a proven track record of getting the most out of quarterbacks. During his three-year stint in Baltimore, Monken helped Lamar Jackson evolve into a more efficient passer while maintaining his explosive playmaking ability. That’s the kind of development arc the Browns would love to see from Sanders.
What makes this pairing intriguing is the mutual interest that dates back to draft night. Monken clearly saw something in Sanders back then - enough to want to bring him to Baltimore. Now, he finally gets the chance to coach him, this time in Cleveland.
There’s no guarantee Sanders will be the starter heading into next season. The Browns could bring in competition, or even look to the draft or free agency. But the fact that he finished the year as the starter, and now has a head coach who already believed in him once before, gives him a real shot to keep the job.
The road to this moment wasn’t exactly straightforward - from Baltimore’s draft board to Cleveland’s starting lineup - but as Monken said, it all worked out. Now the Browns have a young quarterback with upside and a coach who knows how to develop talent. That’s a foundation worth building on.