Lil Wayne Backs Shedeur Sanders Staying In Cleveland After Young Money Deal

Lil Wayne backed Shedeur Sanders’ future with the Cleveland Browns after the quarterback hired an agent from the rapper’s Young Money APAA Sports firm.

Asked on “Gridiron” whether he wanted Sanders to leave Cleveland, Wayne made clear he wanted to see the quarterback get his chance where he is. Pro Football Network reported the exchange from his new appearance with Skip Bayless.

“Also, I need him to get his opportunity, and I think where he is, he’s going to get that opportunity,” Wayne said.

The comments carried a business connection beyond Wayne’s interest in football. Sanders hired Young Money APAA CEO Adie von Gontard as his first NFL agent, as AllHipHop reported earlier this week. He went through the draft and the start of his pro career without one.

Wayne did not discuss that hire in his answer. He expressed confidence in Sanders’ future in Cleveland without announcing a move or speaking for the quarterback about his plans.

Cleveland’s current depth chart lists Deshaun Watson first and Sanders second. Head coach Todd Monken chose Watson to open the season after weighing their work through the offseason, training camp, a joint practice and preseason games.

Monken explained in August that the Browns’ opening road games helped shape his choice. He believed Watson gave the team the best chance to run the offense in those settings, including handling the noise and signals away from home.

Since then, Sanders has had little room to show what he can do. Through Cleveland’s first five games, team stats listed one pass, completed for no gain against Carolina. The Browns entered the weekend with a 3-2 record.

Sanders had a larger role as a rookie in 2025. He completed 120 of 212 passes for 1,400 yards, with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions, before returning to a backup role this season.

Young Money’s ties to Sanders’ former college team already ran through Travis Hunter. The agency represents the Jacksonville Jaguars player, who played alongside Sanders at Colorado. Wayne co-founded the firm with the von Gontard family, and Adie is a certified NFL Players Association agent.

The league’s trade deadline is November 10 at 4 p.m. Eastern.