Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders and head coach Todd Monken are on the same page about changing the culture in Cleveland.
The Cleveland Browns are one of the few teams that still has not decided who their starting quarterback will be when Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season kicks off in a few weeks. During training camp and the preseason, Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders have been battling it out to see who will be under center in Week 1.
The Browns are also breaking in a new head coach. Todd Monken is in his first season in the executive seat for Cleveland after spending a few years as the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.
It’s no secret that the Browns need a culture change if they are going to get back to winning ways. On Wednesday, Sanders talked about the process of implementing that culture and how Monken has been hard on the team to turn things around in training camp, via Ashly Holder of Cleveland 19 News.
#Browns QB Shedeur Sanders on the intensity of Todd Monken’s practices at training camp:
“Coach came in here understanding that we have ways to go overall when it comes to wins and losses over the past few years. It’s about building that mentality of toughness. Some places may… pic.twitter.com/fbustK6sGy
— Ashly Holder (@AshNoelleTV) August 19, 2026
“Coach came in here understanding that we have ways to go overall when it comes to wins and losses over the past few years,” Sanders said. “It’s about building that mentality of toughness. Some places may have the luxury of not having to do that, but it’s more about a deserve thing. I don’t think we deserve to have as many days off like that because we have a lot of young players on offense and young players on the team that, we’ve gotta be able to expedite the process on catching up with the game speed and really understanding the game.
“It’s a thing that, sometimes you may feel a way about it, but in the grand scheme of things it’s moving toward a direction and where we’re trying to get as a franchise and as a team. So as long as everything’s aligned with that, then that’s how you know what’s good and what’s not good, and that’s very good for us.”
At the moment, Watson looks the more likely to get the Week 1 starting job over Sanders. However, given Watson’s struggles both with injury and with his play during his time in Cleveland, the Colorado product still feels likely to get his chance as QB1 at some point this season. The Browns would also benefit from seeing what they have in Sanders before what will be a pivotal 2027 offseason, so Sanders will have to stay ready for his moment.
The Cleveland Browns are one of the few teams that still has not decided who their starting quarterback will be when Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season kicks off in a few weeks. During training camp and the preseason, Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders have been battling it out to see who will be under center in Week 1.
