Shedeur Sanders took the field for the first start of his career in Sunday's matchup against the Raiders, and in spite of all his critics and doubters, the Browns rookie quarterback delivered.
Sanders helped lead Cleveland to its third win of the season in the 24-10 victory over Las Vegas, recording an interception in the first half, but bouncing back to clinch the victory. The Browns quarterback finished with 209 passing yards and one touchdown in his first NFL start and he looked more comfortable in the pocket, as he seemed to be better at avoiding sacks and was brought to the ground just once this game.
Of all the eyes that were on Sanders during his highly anticipated start, his dad Deion making the trip out to Vegas to support him may have given the rookie an extra boost of confidence. The two were seen sharing a special moment before Sunday's game, and Deion later appeared to coach up his son in the tunnel following the win.
"You played good," Deion could be heard telling Shedeur in a YouTube video shared by Well Off Media. "You gotta just look at the film and evaluate yourself on the wrong."
Deion also told his son there were some things he needed to "get right," but that Shedeur saw the field well and put together a solid outing overall. "I'm proud of you, buddy," Deion said, leaning in to give Shedeur a hug.
Deion Sanders coaching up Shedeur after his road win vs the Raiders:
— GUCCE🦬🐦⬛ (@gucceCU) November 24, 2025
“You played good. You gotta just look at the film and evaluate yourself on the wrong.”
🎥@DeionSandersJr pic.twitter.com/8y64L1oNMZ
Sanders put his first full NFL game in perspective in his postgame press conference:
"I was a 5th-round pick. I got skipped by everybody at least five times," Sanders told reporters. "It just comes with the game. It is what it is. I'm just thankful for where I am now. ... I still got an opportunity to play, so why could I be mad? Money’s different, but thankfully I got a good family. ... We're playing for the love of the game."
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski declined to say whether Sanders would get the start in next week's game against the 49ers but did emphasize he was proud of what the young quarterback achieved Sunday. After his tumultuous start to his NFL career, it's nice to see Sanders developing into his own with his dad supporting him all along the way.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Deion Sanders Gave Shedeur Sanders Powerful Advice After QB’s First NFL Win.
