Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders with son and quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium.

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders said "I don't care" Tuesday when asked about the big NFL trade in Cleveland that could affect his quarterback son Shedeur.

The Cleveland Browns traded quarterback Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals, making room for Shedeur to move up the depth chart with the Browns after being drafted by them in the fifth round in April.

“Yeah, I got that text during practice,” Sanders said at his news conference Tuesday in Boulder. “I don’t care. I don’t give a darn about the Browns at all. I care about the Colorado Buffaloes. I do love me some Shedeur Sanders, though. Believe that. I care about him. The rest of that mess, I don’t, OK?”

Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel started for the Browns last week in a 21-17 loss against the Minnesota Vikings. He replaced Flacco, who was benched after the Browns got off to a 1-3 start. Gabriel was selected in the third round of the draft in April before Shedeur, who was considered by many to be a first-round talent. Shedeur played under his father at Colorado in 2023 and 2024 but has not played in an official game yet for Cleveland.

“I’m a coach trying to win, just like they’re trying to win games," said Sanders, whose team is 2-4 and faces Iowa State on Saturday at home. "But I could care less of who they traded."

Sanders deferred to a friend of his who was at the news conference in Boulder — former Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones.

“As a Bengals fan, I like the trade,” Jones responded.

“He went to the Bengals?” Sanders asked. “I didn’t know that. Oh my God. Bengals ain’t no joke, ain’t they? They trying to win.”

Another factor in the Browns’ quarterback competition is Deshaun Watson, who has been out all season as he recovers from a ruptured Achilles tendon. His return, whenever that may be, could make it harder for Shedeur to get a chance in Cleveland. The Browns play at Pittsburgh on Sunday, Oct. 12.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'I don't care.' Deion Sanders reacts to Browns QB trade that could affect Shedeur

Reporting by Brent Schrotenboer, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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