Overview
- Head coach Todd Monken announced Monday that the Browns will name five game captains each week—two offensive, two defensive and one special teams captain—rather than pick season-long captains.
- Coaches will select the weekly captains and the players will vote after the season to choose permanent 2026 captains.
- Monken named the Week 1 captains ahead of the Sept. 13 game at Jacksonville as quarterback Deshaun Watson, guard Zion Johnson, cornerback Tyson Campbell, defensive tackle Mason Graham and long snapper Rex Sunahara.
- Monken said the move responds to a young roster and active position battles, a system that also gives the staff flexibility if early-season performance prompts lineup changes.
- The change matters to players because it spreads leadership opportunities and matters to the quarterback race because Watson is the Week 1 starter with Shedeur Sanders positioned as the primary internal challenger.