One may think that covering the Browns since 1988, and being the first woman in Cleveland to do so full-time, earns a person enough credibility to state their opinions or make claims. Like, make Deshaun Watson the QB1 over Shedeu Sanders ASAP. At least that’s what Mary Kay Cabot had initially thought. But…
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“Go make a sandwich, Mary,” Shilo Sanders commented on an Instagram post with Cabot’s quote about Watson. Winner of the Bill Nunn Memorial Award (2025) for long-term excellence in NFL reporting, and a longtime member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee, Cabot wasn’t going to be the one to accept Shilo’s remark.
“I really do believe that I have been an inspiration for lots of women and young girls to know that you can go out there and do a good job in a man’s world and take on all of that that comes with that,” Cabot said of her career, per Cleveland’s 92.3 The Fan. “And I know there are so many women who have joined the football world especially because of some of the things I’ve been able to do over the years, and I’m happy about that…I’ve been able to help set the tone and open some doors in that way, and I know that will continue.”
Soon after the Cabot’s original comments surfaced, the exchange had shifted from a disagreement over quarterback projections to a conversation about Cabot’s reporting itself.
“If you’re gonna be a reporter, be a reporter and report facts,” Shilo said. “Whenever you have your opinion, and your opinion is always something hateful to Shedeur, then it makes it seem like it’s something weird like it’s an agenda that you have going on. There’s plenty of women that take reporting football serious and actually do homework and study the game and get the statistics right and get the news right, but with you it’s so much emotion. I don’t want you to make women look bad when it comes to reporting, because you don’t have the will to actually want to report real things that are going on.”
"I know so many women who have joined the football world especially because of some of the things I've been able to do over the years, I'm happy about that." 📞@MaryKayCabot responds to Shilo Sanders comment
The great @MaryKayCabot (Bill Nunn Memorial Award winner) joins us at 8:20 on @923TheFan
That opinion arrived at a time when the Cleveland Browns’ depth chart at quarterback remains unsettled. Deshaun Watson is competing not only with Shedeur Sanders but also with second-year quarterback Dillon Gabriel, while new head coach Todd Monken has repeatedly emphasized that no position group is exempt from competition during camp.
“Well, let’s just talk about what competition means at every position,” Monken said. “Every player that’s going to be a part of our roster is going to be competing, right? … There has to be some form of a depth chart per say. Everybody has a chance to compete. They just, they’re not always going to get equal reps, if that makes sense. You know, it’s what is a competition. Every guy that’s in training camp, every guy that’s part of the roster, the amount of reps they get that’s to be determined.”
Shilo’s reaction, though widely interpreted as a defense of his brother, also drew attention back to his own recent football path. After going undrafted, he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but was released following a preseason ejection for throwing a punch during a game. He later spent time trying to catch on elsewhere but has yet to secure a stable role at the professional level.
Against that backdrop, Cabot’s response stood out for its tone. Rather than engage directly with the criticism, she kept the focus on her career and the impact she believes her work has had across nearly four decades covering the Browns.
Cabot’s position, too, was based largely on what she had observed during offseason work.
Mary Kay Cabot explains why Deshaun Watson is the favorite to be the Browns’ QB1
Cabot’s assessment that Watson currently holds the edge wasn’t made in isolation. According to her reporting from Browns voluntary minicamp, the former Texans quarterback emerged with the inside track toward QB1 after showing quicker decision-making, stronger command in the pre-snap process, and greater efficiency in the passing game during early team sessions. Although Shedeur Sanders opened 11-on-11 drills with the planned first reps on the first day media were present, Watson accumulated more work as practice progressed based on merit.
According to Cabot, head coach Todd Monken is expected to identify, or at least strongly signal, the Browns’ starting quarterback by the end of the team’s mandatory minicamp scheduled for June 9–11, leaving Sanders only a limited window across OTAs and minicamp to close the gap.
That urgency stems partly from last season’s four-way quarterback competition, which the Browns believe disrupted the offense’s ability to build timing and chemistry early. With the team now installing a completely new system and terminology under Monken, settling on a starter sooner has become a priority.
“[The Browns] really need to get this offense working together as soon as possible to get ready for the season,” Cabot said. “… Deshaun has looked better in these practices so far, he’s a three-time Pro Bowler, he looks really healthy. … It just seems like he looks the part of a starting quarterback right now while the other guys are still coming up the learning curve.”
Watson’s experience learning multiple offensive systems over the past decade has also helped him adapt more quickly to Monken’s approach, which includes spread and passing concepts similar to those he previously ran successfully in Houston.
During the first media-open day of voluntary minicamp, Watson stood out with quicker decision-making and stronger pre-snap command, eventually earning additional first-team work in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills despite the initial plan to rotate reps more evenly. By the second day, he was already taking most of the red-zone and two-minute snaps with the starters.
While Shedeur Sanders showed glimpses of being a top quarterback in the league, he still struggled to perform consistently, leading the Browns to a 3-4 record as a starter. In these seven games, the younger Sanders recorded 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Hence, Mary Kay Cabot explained that Deshaun Watson has emerged as the favorite to be Cleveland’s starting quarterback in the 2026 season.
Her report revealed how his time in Houston helped him adapt to Todd Monken’s system quickly, as it shared “some of the same spread and other passing concepts” with the one he had in Houston and became a three-time Pro Bowler while winning multiple AFC South titles.
Watson earned more snaps with the first team during 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills and continued as the main quarterback with the first team, where he took most of the reps in the red zone and in the two-minute drill. However, the report also highlighted Watson’s effort to familiarize himself with Todd Monken’s methods through this offseason.
“What’s more, he’s worked hard on his own to study and learn Monken’s offense and is playing fast on the field,” Mary Kay Cabot reported.
Another aspect that worked for Watson is the Browns’ young offense, comprising this year’s ninth overall pick, offensive tackle Spencer Fano; the wideout duo of KC Concenpcion (24th pick) and Denzel Boston (39th pick); and the sophomore standouts like tight end Harold Fannin Jr. and running back Quinshon Judkins. With such an inexperienced core, someone like Watson, who has played in 73 games while recording 17,904 yards and 123 touchdowns, will bring much-needed stability to the team on offense.
Cabot also noted that Watson’s experience making protection calls, adjusting at the line of scrimmage, and handling motions and audibles becomes especially important behind an offensive line expected to feature multiple new starters, including rookie left tackle Spencer Fano and eventual contributions from young center Parker Brailsford.
While one can understand Shilo Sanders’ perspective as a brother for his comments about Mary Kay Cabot, these scathing remarks could further jeopardize Sheduer’s career with the unnecessary attention received by the young quarterback, creating unprompted issues for the team.
