The Cleveland Browns have decided to move ahead with Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback over Shedeur Sanders for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky said he was “shocked” by the decision, especially after Watson’s controversial press conference over the weekend. Orlovsky said he feels “awful” for Browns fans, who made their feelings known about Watson during the home preseason game against the Buffalo Bills.
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Former NFL linebacker and “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast co-host Will Compton reacted to Orlovsky’s comments, alleging that the decision came from “above” Browns coach Todd Monken.
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“Feels like a decision CLEARLY above Todd Monken,” Compton wrote on X.
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While Watson has not played in the NFL since his Achilles injury in 2024, Sanders had a mixed start to his career with the Browns in 2025. However, Monken has decided to pick Watson as the QB1 for the Week 1 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on Sept. 13.
Browns coach Todd Monken reveals Shedeur Sanders’ reaction to losing QB1 role to Deshaun Watson
Although Shedeur Sanders lost the starting role to Deshaun Watson for the Week 1 clash against the Jaguars, the second-year quarterback had an “awesome” reaction to the decision, according to Todd Monken.
The Browns coach said that Sanders understands the “long game” as a quarterback.
“You talk about somebody that really understands the long game,” Monken said. “That really I think has come to understand the long game. What are we really in this for? What am I in it for? … Where do we want to be in the long term? He understands that as well as a quarterback.”
According to reports, Monken picked Watson as the QB1 against the Jaguars because of his ability to handle the offensive operation on the road.
Edited by Chaitanya Prakash
