Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will make his first NFL start for the Cleveland Browns as coach Kevin Stefanski prepares him to lead the team with confidence. Sanders has been officially named the starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders after a series of events, including Dillon Gabriel’s concussion.
Sanders, who had been working hard in the quarterback competition, expressed his excitement about the opportunity. He said, ‘It’s going to be exciting. I know a lot of y’all are going to be there. You can’t miss it. You cannot miss this moment. It’ll definitely be exciting. We’re going out there with a purpose — mentally ready, no distractions, nothing. I’ll be excited.’
Head coach Kevin Stefanski has been emphasizing the importance of making sure Sanders feels comfortable in his role as the starting quarterback. Stefanski noted that the focus is on ensuring Sanders is confident with the team’s plays and concepts, stating, ‘You’re always trying to do that with all your players — make sure they’re comfortable. It’s no different with Shedeur. You want to make sure all the concepts are things he feels confident in.’ He added, ‘Having been around him over the months, you get a good sense of what fits his eyes, so to speak. So, definitely want to lean into those things, and he’s working very hard.’
Despite limited in-game experience, Sanders has been working hard to prepare for the role. He acknowledged the difficulty of making his first start, saying, ‘I’m my own biggest critic. Will there be mistakes? Of course. But there won’t be as many. You just try to minimize them as much as possible.’
Sanders has been taking notes and discussing strategies with the rest of the quarterback room to better understand his role. Stefanski highlighted the importance of practice and in-game experience, saying, ‘It’s obvious that the more time and the more reps, period, are always better. I do think, as quarterbacks, they sit in that room, watch a lot of tape together. So, you watch the receivers, and sometimes you don’t get the rep, but you see how those guys come out. So, that’s what you have to do as backups. Shedeur does that, all of our guys do. When you’re not getting that rep, you’re just making mental notes to yourself about how guys come out of breaks. And there’s a lot of dialogue around that, certainly with the quarterbacks.’
Sanders also emphasized that his best learning comes from being on the field. ‘I’m more of a feel type of person. That’s how I learn. That’s how I do everything,’ he said. ‘I’m not just going to watch it, and it’s just going to happen. No — I’ve got to be out there, feel it, move around. It’s 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.’
With the game against the Raiders approaching, Stefanski has focused on the present. ‘I’m focused on this game,’ he said. Sanders echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of not overlooking any detail. ‘When you start moving too fast in life, sometimes you miss the small details of things, so I never want to overlook anything,’ he said. ‘I know our fans have a lot of expectations and hope. And I’d be doing a disservice to myself and the organization if I didn’t feel like I am the guy.’
Sanders, who was widely considered a top-five overall pick and then fell to the fifth round, is hopeful that his performance in this game will solidify his place as the future of the franchise. ‘I’m just excited for everything. I feel like I’m the guy. I know I’m the guy. But, you know, you’ll just have to see. The game’s got to speak.’