Shedeur Sanders Sends Message to Browns Ahead of First Start

The Cleveland Browns will give rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders a shot as the starter on Sunday.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) is pressured out of the pocket by Baltimore Ravens' Dre'Mont Jones (41) in the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, on Nov. 16, 2025. David Richard/AP Photo

Shedeur Sanders has waited, been buried on a depth chart, and bumbled in his first game action.

Despite all of that, the Cleveland Browns will give the famed and beleaguered rookie quarterback his first career start on Sunday in Week 12 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Sanders, the son of former Hall of Fame defensive back Deion Sanders, believes the Browns won’t regret it and that he showed flashes of what he can do at his best.

“I know I’m made for it,” Sanders told reporters on Wednesday.

Sanders’ debut didn’t look that way in Week 11 when he went 4-16 for 47 yards and an interception in relief of fellow rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel due to a concussion. That said, Sanders drove the Browns 40 yards in five plays to the Baltimore Ravens’ 25-yard line with 1:02 left and a chance to tie in a 23–16 defeat. Ultimately, three incomplete passes stalled the drive.

“I don’t think there was a doubt in my mind that that final drive, [we were] going to go down there and score,” Sanders said. “Things happened and we didn’t, but I was just excited because I knew what I was going to be able to do out there.”

It’s a confidence the Browns need for a franchise that will start its 42nd quarterback since 1999 on Sunday. Many of those changes came about from failed draft picks or transactions, but Sanders is getting his shot because Gabriel remains in concussion protocol. Sanders, a former Colorado standout, became the Browns’  fifth-round draft pick in April after a long fall down the draft board, and he once held the fourth-string quarterback spot during training camp. Sanders was once expected to be the top quarterback in the NFL Draft before his stunning free-fall to day three.

“Obviously, having been around him over the months, you get a good sense of the things that fit his eyes, so to speak,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters on Wednesday. “So definitely want to lean into those types of things, and he’s working very hard.”

Sanders has also dealt with off-field adversity, as his home was broken into while he was away for the home game in Cleveland, and he lost $200,000 in property, according to The Medina County Sheriff’s Office via WKYC. Break-ins of NFL players’ homes have been a problem lately, which has impacted the likes of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan, and Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

“Mentally, emotionally, I’m in a great place overall,” Sanders said regarding the break-in. “My life is always going to be adversity. Things aren’t always going to go as planned, but I would say I’m prepared for everything.”

Sanders will prepare to take over a Browns offense that has limped all season with 153.9 passing yards per game and an average of 4.1 yards per play. Overall, the Browns average 16.2 points per game, and no receiver has more than 44 receptions, 422 yards, or three touchdowns.

Part of it has been the struggles of Gabriel and, previously, Joe Flacco. Gabriel, a third-round pick from Oregon, has completed 59.2 percent of his passes for 937 yards and seven touchdowns versus two picks. Flacco completed 58.1 percent of his passes in a Browns uniform for 815 yards and two touchdowns versus six interceptions, and the Browns traded him afterward to the Bengals while Burrow was sidelined with a turf toe injury.

Sanders is viewed as more talented, but his struggles with pass rushes in college drew concern. That said, the Browns quarterback carousel has turned all year, from Kenny Pickett during training camp to the team’s draft picks.

“I know our fans have a lot of expectations and hope,” Sanders said, “And I would be doing a disservice to myself and a disservice to the organization if I didn’t feel like I am the guy. I did everything I need to. I’m doing everything I need to prepare to be the best version of myself as possible.

“With the circumstances, everything got to be sped up, and that’s great,” Sanders added. “I like pressure in life. I’m just excited for everything. So, I feel like I’m the guy. I know I’m the guy, but you just have to be able to see.”