CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The son of an NFL legend will make his professional debut against the Carolina Panthers in Friday night’s preseason opener.
Shedeur Sanders, who is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, will start at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns during their Aug. 8 game against the Panthers.
A rookie fifth-round draft pick, Sanders was viewed as a surefire first-rounder by most before the draft, but saw himself drop all the way to the 144th choice, where Cleveland finally got him.
Sanders played his entire collegiate career with his father as his head coach -- the first two years at Jackson State, then the last two at the University of Colorado.
Despite the pre-draft hype, Sanders was listed as the Brown’s fourth-string quarterback on their first preseason depth chart. Many fans have argued that his current place in the Cleveland QB pecking order isn’t reflective of his actual talent and is more so a result of being a rookie who has yet to take a competitive snap in the NFL.
Across his 24 games at Colorado, Sanders accounted for 72 total touchdowns and threw only 13 interceptions, all while completing nearly 72% of his passes for over 7,300 yards.
He was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year for his efforts in 2024, and finished eighth in Heisman voting.
Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders played his final two collegiate seasons at Colorado...
Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders played his final two collegiate seasons at Colorado with his dad, NFL legend Deion Sanders.(AP Photo/Amanda Loman)
Sanders to face Panthers starters
While the Browns have opted not to play their starters on Friday night, the Panthers will. That means Sanders will face Carolina’s top defensive lineup while he himself is playing with mostly backups.
“My expectations for Shedeur are no different than the rest of the guys, honestly,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said during a Wednesday press conference. “We expect him to go operate. When you get into preseason games, you try to keep it very simple so that guys can play fast ... all concepts that our players know and can kind of not think too much and just play ball.”
Sanders could end up playing most of the game as Stefanski said he and newly signed Tyler Huntley will be the only Browns quarterbacks to play Friday night. Huntley was just signed this week, so Stefanski said how fast he gets up to speed will determine how much he plays.
On the Panthers side, head coach Dave Canales said he expects to play most of his starters -- both on offense and defense. That means Carolina will get its first game look at rookie first-round receiver Tetairoa McMillan, as well as third-year quarterback Bryce Young. The Panthers starters are only expected to play a couple of series Friday, but they will get game action nonetheless.
Shedeur Sanders will start Friday's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte.
Shedeur Sanders will start Friday's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte.(Chris Carlson | AP)
Panthers-Browns quick notes
Friday’s preseason game between the Panthers and Browns is the first for both in 2025, and follows a joint practice the teams participated in on Wednesday.
Some quick game notes and details are below:
Kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte
Game broadcast on NFL Network for out-of-market fans
Panthers listed as 6.5-point betting favorites by FanDuel
Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn not playing Friday after Wednesday car crash
Former Clemson star Hunter Renfrow questionable for Panthers with hamstring injury amid NFL comeback attempt
Temperature of 78 degrees forecast at kickoff with party cloudy skies
Tickets available for as low as $23 as of Friday morning
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