Shedeur Sanders will start his second NFL game on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. The rookie quarterback led his team to a 24-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12, winning his first game as a starter. Sanders will face a tougher challenge on Sunday, as the 49ers are a much better team than the Raiders.
After just two experiences in the NFL, Sanders has turned plenty of heads and drawn comparisons to established quarterbacks. On Thursday, one analyst compared him to a fellow AFC North quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow. Emory Hunt of CBS Sports broke down how Sanders’ traits compare to Burrow.
Advertisement
“He and Joe Burrow share the same elite trait that I love about quarterbacks and then he kind of touched on it with Jalen Hurts, is the fact that they have the ‘it factor,'” Hunt said. “You couldn’t tell if they’re up 20, down 20, but you know you want the ball in their hands when the chance to go win the game, they’ll come through.”
“Now, the negative side of the Joe Burrow comp is what we’ve seen play out in college and also in the NFL for both guys. We’ve seen them take some monumental sacks, and there lies the Burrow comp.”
In two games, Sanders has gone 15 of 36 for 256 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. The Browns (3-8) returned to winning ways against the Raiders, with the offense having a new spark with the rookie quarterback under center.
Advertisement
He showed off his confidence after Sunday’s game, saying that he could be even better with more reps.
“It’s amazing… after one week of practice,” Sanders said. “This is one week of practice. So imagine what a full offseason looks like… it gets dangerous. I’m just truly thankful that everything happened.”
Advertisement
The 49ers come from beating Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers on Monday. Brock Purdy wasn’t as efficient as expected, and if the Browns’ defense pressures him, Sanders could have a big chance to beat the NFC West team.
—Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead—
NFL:12 teams with the best chance to win Super Bowl after Week 12
CFB:Maxwell Award finalists announced for 2025 college football season
NBA:NBA power rankings: Ranking all 30 teams to wrap up November
MLB:Grading the MLB 2025 offseason trades
SPORTS MEDIA:Dwyane Wade weighs in on NBA GOAT debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James