Shedeur Sanders has already shown enough to Cleveland Browns’ head coach Kevin Stefanski after six quarters of action to warrant a second consecutive start for the franchise, even after former starter Dillon Gabriel cleared the concussion protocol.
However, there are still a number of theories swirling around Berea in regards to why Stefanski didn’t make a quarterback change sooner in Cleveland.
This Wednesday, Shedeur Sanders was asked about rumors of Stefanski wanting to “sabotage” him, to which the fifth-round rookie responded in a classy manner.
“So, you just wanna start trouble”, answered Sanders automatically, forcing the reporter to pivot into a second question regarding his relationship with Cleveland’s head coach.
“What people do outside the building is really not in my control, in my power. So I don’t... You act like I go out there and tell them to do whatever, so that’s nothing I can control or nothing I can do. But overall, I’m just happy to be here. Coach Stefanski’s been coaching since I got here, and been doing a very good job, you know, with everything that’s been going on.”
When pressed further on his relationship with Stefanski, Sanders humbly answered, “Just like a coach. He tells me what to do on and off the field. And we’ve definitely grown. Our relationship and everything has grown, so I’m just thankful to be here.”
Conspiracy theorists say #Browns coach Kevin Stefanski was purposely "sabotaging" Shedeur Sanders the first nine weeks of the season. Sanders addressed those charges Wednesday ahead of his start against the #49ers Sunday. pic.twitter.com/EompYe0ksL
— Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) November 26, 2025
Before that exchange. Sanders expressed gratitude for his team and teammates, stating “I always wish the best and I do everything I can for this team and for everybody. I got a great defense got a great team, got a great receiver, so, I’m just thankful.
“It’s about belief. The reason why I’m so confident in the way I am is the guys around believe. So that’s what’s most important... You gotta have guys that believe. And I’m fully confident myself through everything, and I’m confident in my team, and I’m sure they’re confident in me, also.
When asked about his first start at home, which will happen on Sunday against the Niners, Sanders was quick to express, “I feel like it’ll be very fun. You gotta understand right now I’m in grind mode. You know, mentally, understanding how to attack this defense that we’re going against and they’re a great team, they got great coaches and everything. But that’s where I am mentally right now.”
Despite the fact that we don’t know the specifics of why Stefanski chose to stick with Gabriel instead of giving Sanders an opportunity sooner -- and it might be a while before we get to know them, if we ever do -- it’s refreshing to see this attitude from the fifth-rounder.
While it’s easy to understand why pushing all that talk aside in order to focus on the task at hand is the best way to go, it would also be easy to get caught up in the moment and inadvertently create an unnecessary distraction at a critical point in his young career.
Sanders and the Browns host the 49ers at Huntington Bank Field on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025 at 1 p.m., local time, in search of their first back-to-back victories since Weeks 16 and 17 of the 2023 season.