Shedeur Sanders had an impressive NFL preseason debut on Friday night when he started for the Browns against the Panthers. However, the rookie quarterback downplayed his performance when speaking on NFL Network after his night ended in the third quarter.
While Sanders highlighted the things he could work on, he was asked about his father Deion Sanders's reaction as the Pro Football Hall of Famer tweeted his excitement while watching at home. The young Sanders ended up apologizing to his dad, which definitely surprised some NFL fans. It was his first NFL game, so of course it wasn't a perfect outing, but it was a performance he should be proud of nonetheless.
"Sorry pops," Sanders said on the sideline. "I didn't do what I was supposed to do fully. But, you know, we'll live to see another opportunity."
"Sorry pops, I didn't do what I was supposed to do fully."
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 9, 2025
— Shedeur Sanders with a message to Deion after his preseason debut 👀
(📺 NFL Network) pic.twitter.com/a0iiydRWvJ
Coach Prime led his son the past four seasons while Sanders played quarterback at Jackson State and Colorado. It's clear they have a close bond, especially from a football perspective.
Sanders hasn't been considered a frontrunner for the Browns' starting quarterback role all offseason, but with Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel both nursing hamstring injuries, Sanders got the call to start in the preseason opener. The likely starter Joe Flacco watched the rookie from the sidelines on Friday night. We'll see how Sanders's performance impacts his status on the team's depth chart, where he appeared last earlier this week.
The rookie quarterback finished his first outing by completing 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Coach Kevin Stefanski wouldn't discuss the QB depth chart after the game, but it's likely Sanders will move up the list.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Shedeur Sanders Apologizes to Dad Deion Despite Impressive Preseason Debut.
