Shedeur Sanders made his first NFL start for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas. While there has been plenty of intrigue surrounding the team’s quarterback situation this season, one important player has appeared to be mostly forgotten about.
Deshaun Watson is back, however, at least on the Browns’ sidelines during games.
Deshaun Watson Seen Mentoring Shedeur Sanders On Browns Sideline
During the first quarter of Sunday’s contest, CBS cameras caught a familiar face in street clothes. Wearing a beanie and sunglasses (indoors), Watson was shown prowling Cleveland’s sideline, taking in the action as he was able to travel to his first road game of the 2025 season.
He was previously unable to attend away games due to the rehabilitation of his Achilles tear.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson made his first road trip of the regular season and will be on the sideline today in Las Vegas, helping Shedeur Sanders in his first NFL start vs. the Raiders, as @MaryKayCabot reported. pic.twitter.com/4D4dPeVm4E
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 23, 2025
Watson appeared to be rather engaged. The CBS broadcast also showed him meeting with Shedeur Sanders between Browns’ offensive possessions, doing some teaching with a tablet in hand. According to team insider Mary Kay Cabot, the reason that Watson is traveling with the team is in fact to be a mentor to Sanders.
Deshaun Watson hasn’t played in well over a year. He first suffered a ruptured Achilles in Week 7 of the 2024 season, and it was thought that he’d be available at some point in 2025. But he re-ruptured the same tendon in January, restarting his rehab and likely keeping him out for the entire current campaign.
SHEDEUR SANDERS HAS ARRIVED
DOT ON THE RUN FOR 52 YARDS
pic.twitter.com/fqKRmlvxpM— JPA (@jasrifootball) November 23, 2025
He has started just 19 games since signing a five-year, $230 million full guaranteed contract with the Browns in 2022. He has posted a 9-10 record in those games, and has thrown 19 touchdowns to go along with 12 interceptions.
Sanders has a chance to break a long-standing curse in Cleveland. No Browns quarterback has won his first NFL start since 1995, and the group has gone 0–17 in debut starts since the franchise returned in 1999.
