Shedeur Sanders is back for the first time. The Cleveland Browns quarterback may be entering his second NFL season, but the circumstances surrounding Sanders on the eve of his rookie and sophomore campaigns are in stark contrast, to say the least.
By now, you’re probably familiar with the media’s story: Projected first-round draft pick shockingly plummets to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. League sources and commentators attribute the fall to supposed arrogance, nepotism, and entitlement, questioning his game and its ability to translate to the next level. Others view the unexpected drop down the draft boards as a conspiracy and humiliation ritual meant to humble the prospect and his family.
He’s selected 144th overall by the Cleveland Browns, two rounds after fellow Cleveland draftee Dillion Gabriel. Controversy ensues. Then-Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski relegates Sanders to fourth string on the team’s initial depth chart. An outcry ensues. Injuries, trades, and lackluster play occur. Shedeur gets his shot during the latter half of the season and becomes the first Browns rookie quarterback in three decades to win their first start in a Week 12 24-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Shedeur mania hits a fever pitch. Typical rookie lowlights and blunders occur, as do highlight-reel plays and growing belief within the Cleveland locker room that a spark has been felt.
The Browns, led by Sanders, string together multiple wins, with Shedeur (and Myles Garrett’s sack record) accounting for the few memorable notes from an otherwise dreadful season.
Yet, this time around, Shedeur is penning his latest chapter, putting narratives behind him, and making his presence felt, one play at a time. This off-season has come with quite a few changes for both Shedeur and his team. Stefanski, whom many criticized for his seeming reluctance to play or commit to Shedeur as the starting quarterback, was fired by the Browns front office. It was a move widely seen as beneficial to Shedeur’s development and potentially helping him retain his starting job.
“I don’t really think about none of that,” Sanders tells VIBE during a break from his off-season training regimen. “I just think about every day. Just focusing on every day at a time and what’s in front of me. I don’t think about the past like that. If I reflect too much, then I’m going to be stuck in that area, so I try not to reflect.”
He has also switched his jersey number from No. 12, which he wore as a rookie, back to No. 2, his number throughout his high school and collegiate careers. When asked if the switch, which was made possible by former Browns wide receiver DeAndre Carter leaving the team, signals a rebirth and new beginning, Sanders agrees.
“Yeah, of course. That’s naturally who I am. I am No. 2. It was a great year to remember, honestly. That’s why I got as many No. 12 jerseys as I could get, personally, because I know what that is. I know what that’s going to do in the future.”
Currently, Sanders is focused on the present, as he’s in the midst of a quarterback competition while learning a new offense under new Browns head coach Todd Monken, who replaced Stefanski during the offseason and has appeared more receptive to Shedeur. “I would say playing under him and his staff is really good. We get good work every day, so I’m thankful that we’ve got those coaches that we’ve got.”
Still, being the son of NFL Hall of Famer and cultural icon Deion Sanders, you’re expected to be able to carve out time for fun, entertainment, and excitement every so often. Shedeur did just that with the release of his new single, “Turn Back,” which displays the musical talent first heard on his 2024 single, “Perfect Timing,” and its Red Cup Nation-assisted remix from last year.
Laden with pianos and driven by Sanders’ melodic flow, “Turn Back” was accompanied by a short film, providing an introspective glimpse into Shedeur’s thoughts and mind-state at this time in his life and career.
Shedeur gets candid about preparing for the upcoming NFL season, escaping through music, what’s currently on his playlist, and why we’ll likely never hear him and his father on a song together.
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VIBE: You’re currently getting ready for the NFL season. How would you say that your training has evolved from last year till now?
Shedeur Sanders: I would say I know exactly what I need to do and how to get to the feeling I need to get to. That’s really it. I’m more in control of understanding myself. I would say it’s all basics. It’s just getting the basics down. You’ve just got to get the basics to a high level, and you’ll be fine.
This is your second year. Would you say that you’re acclimated to the NFL at this point?
No, I wouldn’t say I’m acclimated to it, but I understand a little bit more than I did.
What are some of the ways that you’ve grown in that understanding?
I would say managing my time and cutting out a lot of the fat. Physically, relationships, everything.
You’re in a quarterback competition with Deshaun Watson. What have the conversations and interactions with you and him been like during the training sessions and in general?
No, bro, cool. He cool, honestly.
Would you say that it ever gets awkward being in that you’re gunning for the same spot? With all the noise surrounding that, that’s the elephant in the room.
They don’t get awkward. They never get awkward.
Another big thing during the off-season was the Myles Garrett trade. Where were you when you heard the news, and what was your reaction to it?
I don’t know where I was, honestly. Myles is an amazing player, and of course his players are going to miss him and everything. The whole Browns [organization] most likely misses him. I’ve got to focus on the team that we currently do have and focus on what my job is. To be able to lead the team.
I don’t really try to think too deep on that situation and everything because I know the person that’s making the decisions. He makes great decisions for the team. He made the decision to get me, so I never questioned him.
Well, speaking about the decision-maker, that’s Andrew Berry. What’s the relationship with him, and him backing you up and taking that chance on you?
I respect Andrew to life. I really do respect him a lot. I’m just thankful, overall, that I was able to meet him and we were able to make things happen. Every day, I’m just trying to prove his decision to get me was the right decision. That’s really what I’m focused on now.
Miles is gone, but y’all got Jared Verse back. How has it been having Jared Verse on the team?
Yeah, Jared Verse, he’s cool. He’s young; he’s got big energy. We’re all like the same age, so he be real cool. It’s real exciting to talk to him.
Do you feel people are sleeping on the impact he can have on the defense? Myles is an All-Pro, but Jared’s a beast in his own right. Do you feel people are sleeping on that?
Nah, I mean, I don’t really think about what people think about, honestly. That’s not really a factor to me. That really don’t matter what other people think. It’s just about what the team thinks, and we believe in him. That’s all that matters.
You’re known for your confidence, whether it rubs people the wrong way. When you’re on the field, do you still have that chip on your shoulder? Like you want to prove that you’re legendary?
It’s really just proving to myself who I am and that I can overcome anything that has been placed in front of me. That’s really what I’m here to prove, every day.
Life in the NFL can be stressful at times. What are some of the ways that you decompress when you’re off the field? How are some of the ways that you unwind?
Out of season, I make music. In season, I go relax in my salt room.
Speaking of music, you recently dropped your single “Turn Back.” When or where did you record that track?
I recorded it, I think, at the beginning of the summer, I would say. Then, everything just got put together, and we just dropped it. I recorded in my house.
What are your memories of making the song and bringing it to life? Was it a moment where something inspired you and you just got the urge to get in the booth?
Nah, I think I find joy in making music. I grew up with music. I remember for Christmas one time, me and my brother got a drum set. Then, we had piano lessons as kids. We all had different guitars. I played electric, and my brother played bass. We’ve always been into the music industry. We now just kind of got into it a little bit more.
How did you get the beat? Was it just something in a pack of beats you heard, and you were like, “I want to hop on this?”
Me and my brother, Deion Jr., share a computer. Well, he gave me a computer, but he’s got his iCloud on it. He downloads stuff, and then I just steal it from him. He gave me a computer ’cause I’d be recording myself sometime. I was like, “Oh, yeah, I need it.” Then, I just told him, “Don’t make nothing on this song.”
What was it about the beat that made you gravitate towards it?
I’ve got to see if that’s the right BPM [Beats Per Minute] I really like, but it’s a certain BPM I like a lot. I don’t know. When I make music, I just hear something. I can’t explain it. I can make a lot of good hooks and stuff like that. Just depends on what’s going on, what the vibe is, and how I feel.
Do you write, or do you just come up with it off the top of your head? How do you make your music?
I don’t really write. I come up with the melody, then I put the words in based on the melody. Then, I go line by line, so I punch in.
Were you ever in the studio with your father back in the day? He had his songs and all of that.
I wasn’t born yet. I won’t be letting him get in the studio with me, for real. People [would] take my music as a game.
Would you say that you’re competitive with your music like you are as an athlete? Like you want to be the best, and you want to show and prove?
No, I just want to create a good vibe. I like to create a good vibe and relatability and everything, but I’m not going to do anything that’s bad, you know? I’m going to try. It’s just practicing those muscles. It’s going to get better and better every time.
Can you describe an average studio session with you? Basically the average vibe? If I were to come down to a studio session, what would I expect?
You should expect a hot tea, some nice water. Fruit. Depending on the vibe, I’ve got the colored lights in there. I’ve got some popcorn to snack on. It’s like a movie.
Who would you say are some of the musical influences that you had or that you still have today?
I would really say my family. I don’t really listen to nobody else for real besides my family. I listen to a lot of pop. Well, hey Tess, is the music I listen to pop? I don’t know. It’s like alternative pop. Alternative pop, European. I like that type of stuff. I like good vibes. Matter of fact, I need to play that.
Who are some of the artists from that genre you can name?
I like PAWSA. I like Tokyo Tea Room. I like Men I Trust. I would say those are the three top ones.
What would you say is your trademark or your signature on the music tip?
I don’t know. I’m thinking more about football than right now. I can’t even think about a song [laughs].
For the people who like the music, can we expect a full album anytime soon?
Not anytime soon. I’ll say… I don’t know. I do it for my own happiness. I don’t really do it to make it a career for me. It’s like an escape. It’s like a little escape.
Back to football, at this point, do you feel that you put yourself in the position to be the starting quarterback of the Cleveland Browns? Do you feel like you’ve shown and improved that just in your own mind?
I think being the best version of myself every day and working as hard as I can. I think that I’m gonna do everything within my power, but ultimately, it’s not really in our control as players. That’s why the quarterback room don’t really feel no way towards each other. Everybody is competitive, but it’s never weird.
What would be a successful season for you?
I mean, we’ve just got to see. I can’t really determine success off of what I think, ’cause [the definition of] success can change.
What’s next for Shedeur Sanders?
Nothing for real right now. I’m more in football mode, so it’s hard to really give you that version right now because I’m kind of focused on practice and stuff.