Shedeur Sanders owned his rough NFL debut with the Cleveland Browns, offering a blunt six-word review while looking ahead to what he hopes is a sharper second opportunity
21:48 ET, 16 Nov 2025Updated 21:48 ET, 16 Nov 2025
Sanders spoke candidly after his rough NFL debut
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Sanders spoke candidly after his rough NFL debut(Image: X/Browns)
Shedeur Sanders waited all season for his shot. On Sunday, the Browns rookie finally got it, and afterward, he didn’t sugarcoat a thing.
Sanders made his NFL debut in Cleveland’s 23–16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, entering in the second half after starter Dillon Gabriel exited with a concussion. What unfolded was a tough, uneven performance behind an offense that stalled from halftime onward.
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Sanders, who was immediately mocked by the Ravens on the first drive, finished 4-of-16 for 47 yards with an interception, was sacked twice, and failed to lead a scoring drive as the Browns were shut out over the final two quarters.
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Baltimore, meanwhile, poured in 13 unanswered points after halftime, capped by a stunning 35-yard touchdown run by tight end Mark Andrews with 2:31 left. The Browns’ final drive , highlighted by a 25-yard strike from Sanders to Harold Fannin Jr., fizzled out on a fourth-down pass broken up by Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith.
Afterward, Sanders offered a blunt assessment of his first NFL action, saying, “I don’t think I played good.”
“I think it’s a lot of things we need to look at during the week… go and get comfortable, even throwing routes with Jerry and all those guys. I think that was my first ball to him all year.”
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Sanders emphasized gratitude for the opportunity after being thrust into a role he had taken zero first-team reps for all season.
“First and foremost, I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to get out there,” he said. “Chance to get out there, get your feet wet… to even be out there with the team, with the first group.”
But the rookie didn’t hide from the frustration of a loss that dropped Cleveland to 2–8. “Losing isn’t something I’m comfortable with at all,” Sanders said. “I’ve got to decompress and understand this really happened, on my watch. I don’t like the feeling.”
Sanders saw his first NFL action in Week 11
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Sanders saw his first NFL action in Week 11(Image: Getty)
Even so, he reiterated confidence that he can lead the offense at a higher level with more preparation. “I still have the same confidence, I’m still me — that’ll never go anywhere,” Sanders said. “Just going out there and seeing daylight, that’s all I needed. Playing against a great defense… it’s exciting to see what it’s like.”
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Head coach Kevin Stefanski defended the rookie’s effort while acknowledging the challenges of stepping into a game cold.
“We trust all of our guys to perform,” Stefanski said. “Playing a backup quarterback role — that’s tough. I know there are things he’ll want to do better, but that’s why we work.”
Stefanski reaffirmed that Gabriel will remain the starter once he clears concussion protocol, but added that Sanders will start next week in Las Vegas if Gabriel isn’t available.