Todd Monken was hoping to coach Shedeur Sanders during his rookie season.
Now the ex-Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator will finally get his chance.
Earlier this week, the Browns hired Monken as their new head coach in a move that surprised across the NFL. And one of the wrinkles of the 59-year-old’s return to Cleveland is that it will unite him with Sanders, who the Ravens considered selecting during his draft day free fall.
The former Colorado star, however, had other ideas.
As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported last September, Baltimore planned to select Sanders, who was initially projected to be picked in the first round. Only the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year reportedly let it be known that he didn’t want to play for the Ravens due to concerns he’d be stuck behind Lamar Jackson on the team’s depth chart, with Baltimore obliging.
Sanders ultimately fell to the fifth round before being selected by the Browns with the No. 144 overall pick. Starting seven games in his rookie campaign, the 23-year-old enjoyed varying degrees of success, earning a controversial selection to the Pro Bowl as an alternate in the process.
But while it remains to be seen whether Cleveland will stick with Sanders as its starting quarterback in 2026, that didn’t stop the Browns’ social media team from celebrating Monken’s arrival with a video featuring the head coach in quarterback. In the clip, Monken can be seen referencing Sanders’ draft day snub in a teasing manner, which Deion Sanders’ son was already prepared to address.
“We tried to draft your ass last year,” Monken told Sanders while shaking his arm. “It all worked out. You remember that, right?”
“That’s what I was about to tell you,” the quarterback replied.
“Someday, we’ll get a chance to talk about that,” Monken added in a more serious tone before inviting him to sit down.
it all worked out@Bullseye_Event | #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/5UC9kjyZnv
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 30, 2026
As for what Monken and Sanders talked about after the cameras stopped rolling, that remains unclear. But while it’s only 25 seconds of footage, all indications are that the head coach and quarterback’s relationship is already stronger than Emmanuel Acho suggested it might be earlier this week.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.