Fact Check: Are the Cleveland Browns Selling Watches After Drafting Shedeur Sanders?

Claim: A viral Instagram post has stirred up speculation that the Cleveland Browns are selling branded watches to capitalize on rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ signature celebration. But how true is that claim?

Source of the Rumor: The buzz began when Well Off Media’s Instagram page — the media company run by Deion Sanders Jr. — shared a screenshot of Browns-themed watches listed on NFLShop.com.

Given the Sanders family’s massive online presence, particularly through Well Off Media, the post spread quickly and fueled the idea that the Browns were trying to cash in on their new quarterback’s brand.

The timing didn’t help either — coming shortly after Shedeur Sanders was drafted in the fifth round, it made sense to some fans that the team might release merchandise tied to his well-known ‘watch flex’ — a celebration he frequently used at Colorado to cap off big plays and touchdowns and also send a huge message to his critics. However, that’s not really the case.

 

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Verdict: False. While Cleveland Browns fan watches are indeed for sale on NFL Shop, they’re not a new or exclusive item tied to Shedeur Sanders. Every NFL team has officially licensed watches listed, making this more of a coincidence than a calculated marketing campaign.

Why did some believe it?

Truth be told, fans falling for this rumor is not as far-fetched as it seems. For starters, Shedeur Sanders already has one of the most recognizable personal brands in college football, with his signature wrist tap, a viral symbol of his Deion Sanders-esque confidence and swagger.

Add that to the fact that, despite being a fifth-round pick, Sanders has already outpaced first-rounders like Ashton Jeanty in merchandise sales. As per Fanatics, the quarterback’s jersey has now become the top-selling rookie jersey of the 2025 class, even without an official number assigned.

Additionally, the moment he stepped into Cleveland’s quarterback room, which already includes Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Deshaun Watson, and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, he became the fan favorite by sheer force of his brand, his Draft Day story, and lineage. So, considering Sanders’ merchandise sales and incredible popularity, it’s easy to see why fans thought the watch was part of a clever rollout.

But the bottom line remains the same. The Cleveland Browns aren’t selling watches because of Shedeur Sanders; they’re selling watches like every other team does.