Colorado legend Shedeur Sanders apologizes to Deion Sanders after Browns preseason start

Hunter Cookston

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Colorado legend Shedeur Sanders apologizes to Deion Sanders after Browns preseason start image

The preseason began Friday night for Shedeur Sanders and the Cleveland Browns. After weeks of public criticism about how Sanders has been treated during training camp, he finally had a chance to prove himself—earning a start for the Browns. Earlier that morning, Deion Sanders posted a motivational message that was widely presumed to be directed at his son, Shedeur.

“We all have needs & we all desire Opportunity! If given opportunity u may not be where u are now. Opportunity is like the dream we had when we were younger. We must be prepared for the opportunity we're praying for. The right opportunity will change your life,” Sanders posted.

Former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert was impressed with Shedeur’s performance, noting how poised he looked on the field.

“Starters came out by this point, but before this he still looked calm and in command. Was taking with the defense gave him, was on time and accurate,” Benkert wrote. “Had a few plays he wished that he had back but he’s playing with third and fourth string guys against 1’s and 2’s. Solid.”

Statistically, Sanders had a solid debut, throwing two beautifully placed touchdown passes.

“Sanders had 138 passing yards and two passing touchdowns, as well as picking up 19 rushing yards on four attempts. Sanders completed 14 of his 23 passes,” wrote ClevelandBrowns.com’s Noah Monroe.

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After the game, Sanders gave a postgame interview in which he issued an apology to his father.

Though Sanders may have hoped for an even better showing, his performance was a promising start to his NFL career—especially considering he began the game facing the Panthers' starting defense. Whether he was referring to a few missed throws or simply feeling like he didn’t do enough, Sanders made one thing clear: he deserves more opportunities. Just like Deion’s message earlier in the day suggested, opportunity is everything—and Shedeur is clearly fighting to make the most of his.

Like any son, Sanders is working to make his father proud. On Friday, despite feeling like he fell short, he showed that he's ready to compete—and that might be just the beginning.

Hunter Cookston

Hunter Cookston began his career as a sportswriter for the Marion Tribune, where he covered local high school football, basketball and baseball. His passion for sports started at the age of four when he played his first year of tee ball. Growing up in Tennessee, he developed a deep love for the Tennessee Volunteers and Atlanta Braves. Hunter is currently attending Tennessee Wesleyan University, where he is pursuing a BA in Sports Communications/Management.