TL;DR
- Shedeur Sanders debuted for Cleveland Browns with 209 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
- Sanders impressed with a dime to Isaiah Bond and retained starting QB job over Dillon Gabriel.
- Sanders expressed gratitude for fan support but remains uneasy about his starting position.
- Sanders must perform exceptionally to prevent Browns from drafting a premier quarterback in 2026.
In his debut NFL start during Week 12 for the Cleveland Browns, Shedeur Sanders showed promising signs despite some imperfections.
Sanders connected on 11 of his 20 attempts, accumulating 209 yards and a single touchdown against one interception. The Colorado native appeared unfazed by the pressure and demonstrated potential during the dime he threw to Isaiah Bond.
Sanders was good enough to supplant fellow rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel as the starter. Sanders started in place of Gabriel last week because of a concussion, but he remains the starter even after Gabriel was cleared.
Even with this week's promotion, Sanders is conveying the correct sentiment: he's uneasy in his present position and understands it could be lost at any time.
Sanders also mentioned his appreciation for the backing of Browns supporters eager to witness his chance to start.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders said he’s grateful for the support from fans and appreciates excitement surrounding him. But says he’s not “comfortable,” knows things can change in hurry.
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) November 26, 2025
After a considerable wait, Sanders is now presented with a prime chance to argue his suitability as the Browns' enduring solution.
The Browns felt compelled to give Sanders significant playing time after Gabriel's difficulties in his initial six starts, prior to selecting a quarterback in the early rounds of the 2026 draft.
Should Sanders prove capable and establish himself, Cleveland could then utilize its premier draft selection to bolster a different area of deficiency.
That said, it's going to take a lot more than what we saw in Weeks 11and 12 for Sanders to do that.
He may actually need to perform exceptionally well from here on out to prevent the Browns from pursuing a premier quarterback prospect in 2026.
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