Former Browns starting quarterback Cody Kessler is joining NFL Media as an analyst for the 2026 campaign Getty
The Cleveland Browns are fully focused on their upcoming Week 1 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars , and all eyes are going to be on their quarterback situation once again. Deshaun Watson has been named the starter over Shedeur Sanders to begin the year, but it feels like he very well may have the shortest leash of any signal caller in the league right now.
For years, the Browns have struggled to find a proper answer at the quarterback position, and that seems set to continue in 2026. One guy who is part of the procession of quarterbacks who have come and gone for Cleveland is Cody Kessler , and ahead of the start of the new season, he shared a major announcement regarding the next move in his career.
Kessler was selected by the Browns in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and he eventually found his way under center as a rookie. In nine games (eight of which were starts), Kessler's numbers weren't atrocious (128/195, 1,380 YDS, 6 TD, 2 INT), but that didn't stop Cleveland from posting a 0-8 record in the games that he started.
After two years with the Browns, Kessler was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he made four more starts in 2018. After briefly latching on with both the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots , Kessler's career was effectively over, forcing him to move on from football.
Since riding off into the sunset, Kessler has begun working in sports media, and for the 2026 campaign, he has received a flashy new gig. Alongside former Super Bowl champion wide receiver Nelson Agholor , Kessler will be joining NFL Media as a studio analyst , providing fans with unique insight from his vantage point as a former NFL quarterback.
"NFL Media has hired former Eagles WR Nelson Agholor and former Browns QB Cody Kessler as studio analysts," Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team shared in a post on X.
GettyFormer Browns starting quarterback Cody Kessler is joining NFL Media as an analyst for the 2026 campaign
Kessler certainly didn't have a career to remember in the NFL, but that doesn't mean he knows nothing about the game of football. As a quarterback, you have to know what every other player on the field (both offense and defense) is doing, and if you can find a way to communicate that with football fans everywhere, you can make quite a bit of money nowadays.
As a former Browns quarterback, you can bet Kessler will be keeping tabs on their situation with Watson and Sanders as the season unfolds. Again, Watson may be the starter for now, but there's no guarantee that will be the case once Week 2 rolls around. Cleveland will square off against Jacksonville on Sunday, Sep. 13, with kickoff for this game scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
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