BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns will start Shedeur Sanders at quarterback in Sunday’s road game against the Las Vegas Raiders, coach Kevin Stefanski announced Wednesday, as Dillon Gabriel remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol.
A son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado football coach Deion Sanders, Shedeur Sanders began his NFL career in Cleveland as the No. 4 quarterback but has slowly made his way up the depth chart and will now make his first start in Week 12. Sanders will become the 42nd quarterback to start a game for the Browns since the franchise returned to Cleveland in 1999.
Browns’ starting QBs since 1999
When Shedeur Sanders takes the field Sunday, he will become the 42nd different quarterback to start for the Browns since the franchise returned to the NFL in 1999. The other 41 starters:
QuarterbackStartsTim Couch59Baker Mayfield59Derek Anderson34Colt McCoy21Brandon Weeden20Charlie Frye19Deshaun Watson19Brian Hoyer16DeShone Kizer15Kelly Holcomb12Brady Quinn12Trent Dilfer11Josh McCown11Jacoby Brissett11Jeff Garcia10Joe Flacco9Cody Kessler8Doug Pederson8Jason Campbell8Johnny Manziel8Seneca Wallace7Jameis Winston7Dillon Gabriel6Dorian Thompson-Robinson5Robert Griffin III5Jake Delhomme4Luke McCown4Tyrod Taylor3Ken Dorsey3PJ Walker2Austin Davis2Ty Detmer2Case Keenum2Kevin Hogan1Bailey Zappe1Spergon Wynn1Jeff Driskel1Thad Lewis1Nick Mullens1Connor Shaw1Bruce Gradkowski1– ESPN Research
Sanders, the 144th pick in the 2025 draft, made his NFL debut in the second half of Sunday’s 23-16 home loss to the Baltimore Ravens after Gabriel was checked for a concussion at halftime and later ruled out. Sanders struggled in the defeat, completing 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards and an interception. He was also sacked twice.
Stefanski confirmed after Sanders’ debut that those were the first snaps he had taken alongside the starting offense in any setting, and Sanders acknowledged the need to develop chemistry with the starting unit. Gabriel has not been cleared to practice, so Sanders will get those valuable practice reps in preparation for his first start.
“I’m truly excited for that, knowing that I have a piece of [the] offense and a say so and how things fit my eye and place the players exactly where they need to be,” Sanders said. “Seeing how they come in and out of routes, seeing the structure of the O-linemen, seeing their set, just having a feeling.
“I’m more of a feel type of person, so that’s how I learn, that’s how I do everything. I’m not just, ‘Imma just watch it, it’s just going to happen.’ No, I got to be out there, feel it. I got to move around. It’s like so many details that it takes for me to feel my best and play my best and I’m doing everything in my power and the team’s doing everything to help me get prepared.”
Sanders will be making his first start a week after his home was broken into while he was making his NFL debut. The Medina County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that an estimated $200,000 in property was stolen from Sanders’ home by three suspects on Sunday.
“Mentally, emotionally, I’m in a great place overall,” Sanders said when asked about 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 said none of his jewelry was stolen.
Sanders has publicly stated in the past that he is ready to contribute and play, but the Browns have taken a slower approach to his development. During the broadcast of the preseason finale, general manager Andrew Berry likened Sanders’ transition to the pros to someone who was “fluent in English and now you have to learn Mandarin.”
Throughout the season, Sanders has split scout team reps with the team’s other backup quarterbacks; Bailey Zappe is signed to the practice squad. On Oct. 22, Stefanski said that, unlike when Gabriel was the backup, Sanders was not receiving practice reps with the starters as QB2 as the team focused on Gabriel’s weekly readiness as a rookie starter. Stefanski, though, has said that Sanders has been getting reps in alternative ways, including scout team reps, walk-throughs and post-practice reps with other developmental players.
“You want to make sure that all the concepts are things that he feels confident in,” Stefanski said. “Obviously having been around him over the months, you get a good sense of the things that fit his eyes, so to speak. So definitely want to lean into those types of things and he’s working very hard.”
Sanders was rated as the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the 2025 draft by ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. However, Sanders fell to Day 3 of the draft, where the Browns traded up to select him in the fifth round with their seventh and final pick.
As training camp opened, Sanders was slotted behind not only Gabriel, whom the team selected with the No. 94 pick, but also veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Sanders did not receive reps with the starting offense as Cleveland held a quarterback competition in training camp, but amid a slew of injuries during the summer, Sanders got the opportunity to start the preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers.
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Playing in a little less than three quarters with a cast of backups and third-stringers, Sanders completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns, and he added 19 rushing yards in a 30-10 win over the Panthers. Sanders, though, missed the following week, including the second preseason game, with an oblique injury. He was the third Browns quarterback to play in the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams and struggled, completing 3 of 6 passes for 14 yards. Sanders was also sacked five times.
The Browns traded Pickett to the Raiders days later, and Sanders made the 53-man roster along with Flacco and Gabriel. Sanders began the regular season as the No. 3 quarterback and was inactive for the first five games of the season as the emergency QB. After the Browns traded Flacco, who was benched in favor of Gabriel after four games, to the Cincinnati Bengals, Sanders moved into the backup role. He has been QB2 for all but one game since then; Sanders was inactive in Week 8 because of a back injury.
Sanders is stepping in for Gabriel, who has started the previous five games. Gabriel ranks 32nd out of 33 qualifying quarterbacks in Total QBR (30.9), above only Tennessee Titans rookie Cam Ward. The Browns were 1-4 in games that Gabriel started before his injury.
“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. 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.”
