Shedeur Sanders is a major storyline in this afternoon's game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns, but not in the way he hoped.
Sanders is once again inactive, listed as the Browns' No. 3 quarterback. The only way the rookie signal caller will see the field Sunday is in an emergency, if starter Joe Flacco and backup Dillon Gabriel both get injured and are unable to continue playing.
However, in the hours leading up to the 1 p.m. ET kickoff, ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported some intriguing news. Sanders could have drafted by the Ravens back in April, but the former University of Colorado star nixed the opportunity.
Shedeur Sanders asked the Ravens not to draft him
Sanders' slide was one of the major stories of the 2025 NFL Draft. At one point considered to be a possible top 10 pick, he wound up falling all the way to the fifth round.
It was in the fifth round that the Ravens expressed interest in the youngest son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, who played for Baltimore during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. However, Schefter says Shedeur asked the organization not to take him due to the presence of star quarterback Lamar Jackson.
"Sanders knew that Jackson, a two-time MVP and one of the top players in the league, was not going to be losing his job as Baltimore's starting quarterback anytime soon," Schefter explained.
"So the message was conveyed to the Ravens that Sanders did not want to be drafted by Baltimore and preferred to end up in a place where he might have a better chance to play sooner. The Ravens instead drafted offensive lineman Carson Vinson with the 141st pick."
Instead, Sanders was plucked off the board by the Browns 144th overall, three picks after the Ravens took Vinson and two rounds following Cleveland's selection of Gabriel, another quarterback out of Oregon.
A matter of choice
Baltimore is clearly the better organization, but Shedeur Sanders isn't wrong that his path to playing time would have been more obstructed with the Ravens. Lamar Jackson is not relinquishing the starting job unless he gets injured.
Meanwhile, in Cleveland, Flacco, 40, is not a long-term answer. However, early indications are the Browns are in no rush to have Sanders make his NFL debut.
"I'm hearing Shedeur isn't even running scout team."
Cleveland radio host Tony Rizzo
Gabriel, who outperformed Sanders in the preseason, is the unquestioned No. 2 signal caller. Last week, a report from Cleveland radio personality Tony Rizzo claimed Sanders isn't even serving as the Browns' scout-team quarterback.
Instead, veteran Bailey Zappe, who is on the practice squad, is handling those duties.
"I'm hearing Shedeur isn't even running scout team, he's literally watching everyone. Bailey Zappe is running scout team," Rizzo said.
Assuming that's true, it seems obvious the Browns aren't rushing Sanders, which is probably smart. Time will tell if he even sees the field as a rookie.
This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Sep 14, 2025, where it first appeared in the Sports section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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