The Browns announced via their website, “The NFL announced Schwesinger as one of the six finalists for the 2025 Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year award.”

The LB led the Browns in total tackles in Week 1 and finished the season still leading the Browns in tackles.

He led all rookies with 146 tackles and 11 tackles for loss in 2025. The rookie recorded 67 solo tackles, 89 assists, 2.5 sacks, and 2 interceptions in 16 games this season. Throughout the season, the NFL nominated him for Rookie of the Week three times.

He even won it in week 1 1. The league also named him NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for November. He nearly even made it to the All-Pro team! It’s an incredible honor for both the player and the rookie since Chip Banks was the last Browns linebacker to win the AP Rookie of the Year award back in 1982.

“He has really impressed me with his toughness and his ability to play through some injuries and some pain. That shows a lot of grit, that shows a lot of toughness…I’ve been really proud of him, and I know his teammates are too; they respect that,” defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said in December 2025.

Giants QB Jaxson Dart, Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson, Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty, Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan, and Saints QB Tyler Shough are also in the list.

The winner will be selected by a fan vote, with voting running until Jan. 30.

Carson Schwesinger and other Browns’ rookies who made the NFL All-Rookie Team

ESPN made a list for the 2025 NFL All-Rookie Team, highlighting the best first-year players at their position. Multiple Browns’ rookies made it to the list, including Carson Schwesinger.

Quinshon Judkins made it to the second team. He had 230 carries for 827 yards and scored 7 touchdowns in 14 games this season before his season came to an end with an unfortunate injury.

Harold Fannin Jr. had recorded 72 catches for 731 yards and scored 7 touchdowns in 16 games this season. Mason Graham, with 28 solo tackles, 21 assists, and 0.5 sacks in 17 games, was the last Browns’ rookie on the list. Let us know what you think about it in the comments.

Speaking on the All the Smoke podcast, Cunningham said:

“The treatment and everything he’s going through, whew, that’s a lot. And I was so happy he got that victory against the Raiders here in Vegas. But I like him, I love that kid. And I’ve never met him before, but I love him.”

After a disastrous debut against the Ravens, Sanders received a lot of criticism. Having ended the game with a 25% completion rate and taking 2 sacks, many doubted his ability as a backup QB. However, against the Raiders, he found some solid ground, throwing 1 touchdown and 209 yards.

“And I’m telling you, once he gets a real opportunity and has all the weapons around him and a defense and everything and they just say, ‘Hey, OK, we’re just going to go with you,’ you’re going to see the same kid you saw in college. The most dynamic player playing quarterback. The kid is good. He’s really good.”

Sanders already has one of those things. In the attack, he has young stars like Harold Fannin Jr., Quinshon Judkins, and Dylan Sampson. However, he needs protection from the O-line. This season, Sanders was sacked 23 times, limiting his opportunities. Similarly, even Dillon Gabriel, another of the Browns’ rookie QBs, was sacked 19 times this season.

The Browns now have a few picks in the 2026 Draft. If they bolster their line in the draft and through trades, it could be all that Shedeur needs to shine.

Randall Cunningham believes unnecessary criticism follows Shedeur Sanders

Cunningham added that Shedeur faces unfair expectations as Deion Sanders’ son, but he admires how the young quarterback has handled it.

“There’s a stigma of being a Sanders and the Prime Time and all of that. And I think that that kind of overshadows who he is. Because he’s a great kid. I watch his interviews, and I’m like, ‘Man, I wish I was wise like that when I first got in there.”

With the coming season, Shedeur Sanders has the opportunity to shut his critics, but will he be able to?

The game was tragic as the Packers lost their 21-3 halftime lead and watched the Bears make a 28-point comeback in the second half.

NFL execs are criticizing the Packers’ head coach, Matt LaFleur, for his rushed, aggressive play calls, aimed to win or at least balance the points and end in a tie.

La Fleur’s handling of a “late offensive drive” instead of running the clock has garnered negative press with strong words from one NFL coach. 

His management was flagged, and as writer Mike Sando noted that “One had to look closely for evidence that LaFleur was running a four-minute offense to eat up the game clock after the Packers took possession with 4:12 remaining and led the Bears by three.”

After quarterback Caleb Williams made an eight-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, the Packers got the ball with just a few minutes left.

Other Coaches Chime in

Maintaining anonymity, Sando reported that a coach called out LaFleur’s “smugness.”

“The smugness of playing your regular offense, with huge air-yard plays, in a four-minute situation,” he said. “Of course, you are not going to have (the clock moving). They are trying to score an explosive touchdown. Who does that?”

“When we played them, I was like, ‘Man, this ball is going downfield — he don’t give a s***’,” he said.

Another coach, before the season commenced, shared similar sentiments about Jordon Love.

“You don’t see a lot of quarterbacks play like that these days. It’s almost like they build it into their offense and see the benefits of making you defend the whole field and hitting a couple in exchange for a pick or two.”

Against the Bears, Love attempted and missed deep throw to Luke Musgrave. The tight end had made only 24 catches and showed the players weren’t focused on making well-managed and better clock-safe plays. 

Love attempted again on 3rd-and-15 from the Bears’ 26-yard line with wide receiver Romeo Doubs in the end zone. It resulted in Brandon McManus missing a 44-yard field goal attempt, benefiting the Bears.

“Where is ball control, short passing game?” the coach asked Sando. “Where are the angle routes?”

As LaFluer dodges questions about his job security, making such aggressive play calls don’t reflect well on his resume. 

Andrew Berry has said that they will look into the QB market, but Deshaun Watson is a big speedbreaker there.

Watson is under a fully guaranteed 5-year, $230 million contract that started in 2022. That means the Browns owe him the money whether he plays or not.

Keeping him on the team carries an estimated 2026 cap figure near $40 million. They can’t release him because that will just double the previous amount.

Trading is also not a great option. If they trade him before June 1, the Browns will have to pay around $80 million of dead cap.

They can split the amount between 2026 and 2027 if they trade him after June 1, but the amount is the same. That is why the Cleveland Browns’ General Manager, Andrew Berry, has talked about keeping Watson on the roster.

What the Browns can do about the QB dilemma

“Look, I can never predict the future, but right now we do anticipate him being on the 2026 team. But we have a long way to go before we get to that point with any player,” he said. Now they can start him as well, but past performance does not vote in his favor.

Watson has a 9-10 record as a starter with 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, missing the entire season while rehabbing.

Shedeur Sanders does seem like a better option. In less than half a season, Sanders had a passer rating of 68.1 with 1,400 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 8 games this season. While the Browns have not committed to him. He is the cleanest option while the franchise waits for financial flexibility.

According to NFL Insider Dan Graziano, McDaniel is the frontrunner to become the Browns’ next head coach over John Harbaugh.

“All of the intel we have on this one says the Browns are looking for an offensive-minded head coach who won’t mind keeping Jim Schwartz as the defensive coordinator.”

His offense uses pre-snap motion to read defenses, create favorable matchups, and disguise play intentions. Plus, a key element of McDaniel’s offensive philosophy is the ability to threaten defenses both horizontally and vertically. Just look at his Miami numbers.

The team ranked sixth in total offense with an average of 364.5 yards per game in 2022 and first with 401.3 yards per game in 2023. McDaniel’s previous tenure with the Cleveland Browns also works in his favor.

McDaniel was the wide receivers coach for the Cleveland Browns under head coach Mike Pettine. He worked with players like Andrew Hawkins and Taylor Gabriel, helping quarterback Brian Hoyer to his only 3,000‑yard passing season.

And Dan Graziano isn’t the only one backing McDaniel for the role.

“If I had to just make an educated guess, again, this is a guess, but this is based on some of my conversations. I think he’ll [McDaniel] end up being a prime candidate in Cleveland, so we’ll see where it goes,” ESPN senior NFL reporter, Jeremy Fowler, said.

What about John Harbaugh?

John Harbaugh is a Super Bowl-winning head coach. He was born in Cleveland and grew up among hardcore fans of the Cleveland Browns.

ESPN Senior NFL Insider, Adam Schefter, reported, “John Harbaugh and the Giants are working to finalize an agreement to make him New York’s next head coach and, barring a setback, a deal is expected, multiple sources tell ESPN.”

Insider reports said that the former Ravens head coach flew to have a one-on-one interview with the Giants, and he also talked with their QB, Jaxson Dart. While there have been reports of him considering an interview with Atlanta and the Titans, the Browns are nowhere on the list.

The Former Eagles linebacker turned media analyst has urged the Browns to bring in Deion Sanders. Why? Because he brought the best from Shedeur Sanders.

“If Shedeur is going to be the future, you can’t draft a quarterback, you can’t get [Fernando] Mendoza, it’s not a quarterback’s class. Who has always gotten the best out of Shedeur Sanders? Deion Sanders.”

There’s no lie to that. When Deion took over Colorado’s football program, which had gone 1-11 the previous season, he quickly turned it into a competitive team with Shedeur at quarterback. Over two seasons, Colorado posted a 13–12 record, including a bowl game in 2024.

Shedeur threw for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, and completed 69.5% of his passes. He won the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. He was so good that Colorado retired his jersey number #12 to honor his legacy, a rare feat in CFB.

“He’s not necessarily a great X’s and O’s coach. He’s a great motivator of men. So get your X’s and O’s coach offensively and defensively, don’t let Jim Schwartz leave the building.

Defense is solid, go get you an offensive coordinator that you think can win, and now, you’re fully invested in Shedeur,” Echo suggested.

Though not all are in favour of bringing Deion Sanders to the Browns

First Things First analyst Chris Broussard was against Coach Prime in the Browns. But this isn’t because he does not have faith in the NFL legend, but he does have faith in Shedeur Sanders as the Browns’ future QB.

“I think [Stefanski’s] handling of Shedeur is what doomed him,” Broussard said. “If you hire Deion, you’re committing to Shedeur. And he has not shown me enough to know he’s my next franchise guy.”

Shedeur has recorded a passer rating of 68.1 with 1,400 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 8 games this season. Sure, he is the first Browns rookie QB in the Super Bowl era with 300+ passing yards, 2+ passing touchdowns, and a rushing score in one game.

But on the flip side, Sheduer Sanders had a QBR of 18.9, the lowest for any Browns QB with at least six starts. But Echo has also given a fair argument that it is Deion Sanders who has brought the best out of Shedeur. Who do you agree with?

National Insider for NFL Network, Ian Rapoport, reported on X that the New England Patriots have signed former Texans DE Darrell Taylor to their practice squad.

“The #Patriots are bringing in some pass-rush help, signing former #Texans DE Darrell Taylor to their practice squad with the strong possibility of elevating him for the playoffs. Taylor was waived by Houston this week.”

Taylor signed with the Houston Texans as a free agent in March 2025. He played 4 games, a total of 35 snaps in the 2025 season, with 15 on run defense and 19 on pass rush. He recorded 1 solo tackle, 2 assists, and 3 combined tackles.

The former Texans DE dealt with an ankle injury later in the season and was placed on injured reserve in November 2025. He has had 88 solo tackles, 38 assists, 24.5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery in his 5 NFL seasons for the Seahawks, Texans, and Bears.

Texan starters patched up before facing the Patriots

Before facing the Patriots, the Texans have listed seven starters on thier injury report. Nico Collins and Trent Brown did not practice, while Azeez Al-Shaair, Kamari Lassiter, Sheldon Rankins, and offensive linemen Tytus Howard (left guard) and Ed Ingram (right guard) were limited participants.

Out of all of these, Collins is going to hurt the Texans the most. He suffered his second concussion of the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has had 71 catches for 1,117 yards and scored 7 touchdowns in 15 games this season.

If he misses the game, the Texans’ passing attack will be left without their top target in a very crucial game. He’ll still have two more chances in practice before being officially ruled out for the action. What do you think, will he make it?

A day ago, Coach Prime took to Instagram to show off a bunch of shoes with the caption, “Legendary @shedeursanders @nike #CoachPrime (posted by @deionsandersjr)”.

Those shoes were Shedeur Sanders’ exclusive Nike Air DT Max 96 in various colours. The post showed a copper colorway, a black metallic, a classic white and black leather pair, and a white leather and purple gradient, all with Legendary logos upside down on the heel.

Nike revealed the special Air DT Max ’96 made specifically for Shedeur Sanders on April 4, 2025, at Colorado’s Pro Day event ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. They also had a great message for the former Colorado quarterback

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @COACHPRIME (@deionsanders)

“He’s got the gift of talent and charisma, much like his old man does. which is why he’s expected to carry the Diamond Turf torch onto the NFL field.

Nike recognizes the potential of the next-generation Prime Time, which is why they’ve created a special Air DT Max ’96 and cleats for Shedeur in commemoration of Pro Day 2025.”

Interestingly, in the 1990s, Nike also released Deion Sanders’ signature sneaker line called Nike Air Diamond Turf. As of now, Nike has not announced a general retail release date for this Shedeur‑themed version.

It remains a player‑exclusive (PE), but maybe this post could mean that Coach Prime and his son are looking to do so.

Shedeur Sanders debuted his father’s new Nike sneakers

Back in September 2025, Nike reintroduced Deion Sanders’ classic Nike Air Diamond Turf series. All the way back in 1994, Coach Prime had dropped an album called Prime Time. A big highlight of the album was the single “Must Be The Money.”

That song served as the inspiration for a new colorway of Sanders’ retro Nike shoes. The Nike Air Diamond Turf “Must Be The Money” colorway dropped at 10:00 a.m. EST on Monday, September 15. It features a smooth upper featuring shades of Sail and Coconut Milk.

It also has Off Noir detailing and hits Mica Blue offer a strong contrast. Lastly, “Nike Air” branding pops off the heels in gold. Shedeur Sanders debuted these sneakers earlier in September, before they were officially released at a Cleveland Browns game.

While there have been several names circulating, one ESPN insider reports that Mike McDaniel has emerged as the frontrunner.

Former Miami Dolphins head coach McDaniels met with the Browns on Monday for an interview. The very next day, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler predicted that McDaniel would eventually be a very valuable asset for the Browns.

“If I had to just make an educated guess, again, this is a guess, this is based on some of my conversations, I think going to be a prime candidate in Cleveland,” said Fowler.

"I think he'll end up being a prime candidate in Cleveland," – @JFowlerESPN on the Browns and Mike McDaniel.

Would you be good if he's he next Browns HC? pic.twitter.com/zpfdEFa9xI

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) January 13, 2026

While he was with them, Mike went 35-33 over the span. He even earned two trips to the playoffs in his first two seasons as well. However, both of those endeavors resulted in failures against Buffalo and Kansas City.

McDaniel understands that leadership shapes a team, and Fowler is vouching for that. Do you think the same? Let us know in the comments!

“I know he’s quirky and all that stuff, but they have a lot of respect for how he handles leadership and how he is as a coach. So I think because of that, it could be a fit,” Fowler expressed.

Well, Fowler isn’t the only one who believes the Browns will end up with McDaniel.

Another NFL Insider Favors Mike McDaniel

Another NFL insider, ESPN’s Dan Graziano, believes Mike McDaniel is a perfect fit for the Browns, and the team could prioritize him over John Harbaugh, who may be headed to the Atlanta Falcons.

“All of the intel we have on this one says the Browns are looking for an offensive-minded head coach who won’t mind keeping Jim Schwartz as the defensive coordinator,” Graziano wrote.

“Cleveland’s perpetually challenging quarterback situation could make this job a tough sell, but McDaniel is quirky, creative, and confident,” Graziano continued. “And he had success in a challenging QB situation during his first two seasons in Miami. It’s not tough to imagine the Browns’ front office wanting to tap into McDaniels’ ideas about how to design and run an offense.”

The Browns still might run for John Harbaugh and could set a meeting with him later this week or next.

ESPN Cleveland’s sports talk show host, Aaron Goldhammer, also chimed in with his opinion on the matter. “It opens the door for the Browns to make a big play and a big move,” He said.

He went on to say, “The sense I’ve gotten is that Mike Tomlin is more likely to work with Hammer and Emmett than he is with Shedeur Sanders next year. But of course, if you’re the Browns, you have to make that call, just like you did with John Harbaugh.”

While the Browns still await an interview with Harbaugh, they might end up facing the same fate with Tomlin. Many sources have pointed out that the former Steelers head coach would end up taking a job in television.

“Of course the Browns should make that call,” – @HammerNation19 says the Browns need to call Mike Tomlin to be their next HC.

Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/0c6eetOdnR

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) January 13, 2026

“I think television is likely to employ Mike Tomlin, and he’s gonna take some time off, as opposed to jumping right back into the mix,” he said. But if miracles were to happen, Tomlin’s resume makes him just the head coach the Browns are looking for.

He coached the Steelers for 19 years and never had a losing season. He led the team to the Super Bowl in the 2008 season and eight AFC North division championships.

Tomlin has tied with Hall of Famer Chuck Noll for the most regular-season wins in Steelers history and is among the top 10 all-time in NFL head-coaching wins.

Tomlin had good words for Shedeur Sanders after the QB visited him before the 2025 Draft. “I know he is very talented, and he’s made a lot of plays for his university and his team. The intangible qualities displayed on tape were very impressive to me,” he said.

The Steelers’ Owner wanted to run it back with Mike Tomlin for another year

After the 6-30 humiliation from the Texans in the Playoffs, the Steelers became the first team in NFL history to lose five consecutive playoff games by double‑digit margins. Tomlin tied the NFL record for most consecutive postseason defeats by a head coach.

But the Steelers owner, Art Rooney II, had faith in Mike Tomlin and wanted to give him another chance. In a press conferrence he said that he was not ready for that conversation with the former head coach.

“I wasn’t shocked, but I wasn’t expecting that conversation, either. I was certainly willing to take another run at it next year with Mike. That’s what I was expecting to talk about yesterday,” he said.