Shedeur Sanders endured a unique rookie season, and has a lot to be thankful for.Once deemed to be a rival to Cam Ward as the best QB in the 2025 class, Sanders was selected 144th overall by the Cleveland Browns, while Ward went No. 1 to the Tennessee Titans.Sanders’ draft position came as a surprise to many, including the quarterback himselfGettyRookie Sanders entered training camp fourth on the Browns’ depth chart, behind veteran Joe Flacco, who mercilessly roasted Shedeur in behind-the-scenes footage, Kenny Pickett, and fellow 2025 pick Dillon Gabriel.Six months later, Sanders was the undisputed starter, leading Cleveland to four wins down the stretch of last season and earning himself a Pro Bowl invitation.It is evident that Sanders went through a lot in his rookie season, and it’s clear that he’s glad to have made it through and come out stronger and better.“I can’t be consistent on the field and not have consistency in my personal life,” Sanders told ESPN’s Nadeska Alexis. “Whatever you do in your personal life is going to bleed into how you feel. If you’re disciplined, you’re going to make the right reads. If you have a lot of distractions, you’re gonna get distracted.“You’re going to think the cornerback is backpedaling when he’s really sitting. It was just a tough year last year. “My expectations, when I look back, dang, at least I made it through there. “At least I made some crazy plays out there. I got it in me. All I gotta do now is just show everybody else.”In his seven starts, Sanders accumulated 1,400 yards, threw seven touchdowns, but also 11 interceptions.Alongside working on his on-field skills this offseason, Sanders has put a lot of work into his approach for the big season ahead.Sanders is grateful to have made it through his turbulent rookie seasonGettySanders threw for 1,400 yards in seven starts down the stretch for the BrownsGettyDeshaun Watson has the edge over Shedeur in the race to be named starterGettyDeshaun Watson vs Shedeur Sanders battle continues heading into Browns training campThis time last year, Sanders was not in contention to be named the Browns’ starter, but in 2026, things are different.Sanders faces a battle against veteran Deshaun Watson to be named Cleveland’s QB1 when the Browns take to the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1 of the 2026 season.New head coach Todd Monken insisted it would be an open competition, but rumors duting OTAs leaned towards Watson having the edge.Watson, whose tenure in Cleveland has been nothing short of a disaster, has started just 19 game since signing a five-year, $230 million contract with the franchise in 2022.Watson tore his Achilles tendon in October 2024 and required another surgery after re-rupturing it, forcing him to miss the entirety of 2025.Ultimately, Cleveland is a franchise starved of success, having not won a Super Bowl since 1964, back when it was called the ‘NFL Championship’.Whether it’s Shedeur who leads them to their first Vince Lombardi remains to be seen, but he is certainly putting in the work behind the scenes and hoping to get recognition for it.Stay up to date with the NFL across all our talkSPORT platforms – subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest news, opinion, exclusive interviews and our daily unfiltered, unscripted show ‘The S* Word, from 8am ET