Shedeur Sanders finds new opportunity with Valley Automotive while Deshaun Watson remains ahead in Browns quarterback battle
Deshaun Watson remains ahead of Sanders, with Browns offensive coordinator Todd Monken expecting Watson to start again in Week 2 despite his rough return against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In August 2024, Sanders signed an NIL deal with Nike, becoming the first college football player to have an NIL deal with the brand, according to Sports Business Journal. He also became a Beats by Dre ambassador in 2021. Watson’s return to regular season football ended with a 34 to 10 loss to the Jaguars. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His interception came on Cleveland’s opening drive, while his touchdown arrived late in the game on a 46 yard pass to Denzel Boston.
Valley Automotive Group announced its partnership with Sanders on Instagram, welcoming him to its Valley Pro Team.
“I anticipate Deshaun will be our starter,” Monken said. “It’s only been two weeks; he’s gotten all the reps, and there were some really good things on film, some things that you can build on,” Monken said. “I’m excited about the long game for him,” he said in August. “There are certain things he has to continue to work on, and he’s going to continue to grow leaps and bounds because he’s a sponge.”
Shedeur Sanders has found a new opportunity away from the football field while he waits for his chance with the Cleveland Browns. The rookie quarterback has joined Valley Pro Team through a partnership with Valley Automotive Group. On the field, though, his situation has not changed. The Ohio based dealership works with athletes from several sports, and Sanders is now part of that group. The deal gives Sanders another chance to build his profile away from football. He has already worked with some of the biggest brands in the sports world. He also explained why Watson was keeping the job despite the difficult opener. He added that he liked Watson’s week of practice and expected him to keep improving. Monken has also spoken positively about Sanders’ development.