Deshaun Watson opened his home to his Cleveland Browns teammates after their latest victory, but Shedeur Sanders reportedly was not among the guests.
Anthony Lima addressed Sanders’ absence Thursday on The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima, saying he checked with multiple people familiar with the gathering.
“I asked and was told by multiple people who would know. They said he was not at that party. Maybe he had a prior commitment to go to,” Lima said.
The question followed Watson’s party for teammates after Cleveland’s victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Lima said the interest in Sanders’ attendance reflected the competing narratives surrounding the quarterback.
“You know when Shedeur is at something. He’s got camera crews, social media is omnipresent when it comes to all that kind of stuff,” Lima said. “A bunch of people were asking if he was at the party, because people are trying to win arguments on whether he’s the best teammate of all time, or the worst of all time.”
Lima does not believe the top two quarterbacks on the depth chart have a bad relationship off the field.
“I thought Shedeur and (Deshaun) got along just fine. I think people are trying to make this a bigger thing by asking the question,” Lima said. “I don’t know if he had a prior commitment, or maybe there was another high school he was at donating footballs to at that time.”
Deshaun Watson Followed Through on Postgame Invitation
Watson hosted teammates Monday night after the Browns beat Baltimore 13-10 to improve to 4-2. The gathering included food trucks, cards, pool and table tennis, giving players a chance to spend time together away from the facility.
The invitation came during the postgame celebration, when Watson received a game ball and teammates suggested a party at his house. His wife, Jilly Anais Watson, later shared how quickly the event came together.
“Loved bringing this all together with my husband, even if he did give me less than 24 hours to pull it off,” she wrote on Instagram.
Watson said that teammates had discussed visiting his house before the Ravens game. He described an open invitation, with future gatherings dependent on players’ schedules.
“So, it’s really just the timing of everything and when guys are free,” Watson said.
Todd Monken Welcomes Browns Spending Time Together
Browns coach Todd Monken initially thought Watson was joking when the party came up in the locker room. By Wednesday, he had learned the quarterback followed through.
“I think it’s awesome. I think it’s cool that our guys enjoy spending time together,” Monken said.
Monken acknowledged that winning makes those gatherings more enjoyable. He also sees value in the relationships themselves, explaining that players who grow closer become more reluctant to let one another down.
The Browns will try to build on their start Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, with a chance to move to 5-2.
Deshaun Watson’s Browns Party Had a Notable Absence