Shedeur Sanders Seizes the Moment: Browns Commit to Rookie QB for Rest of 2025 Season
In a season that’s felt more like a quarterback carousel than a clear-cut plan, the Cleveland Browns may have finally found their guy - at least for the final stretch of 2025. After a turbulent few months that saw the starting job bounce from Kenny Pickett to Joe Flacco to rookie Dillon Gabriel, it’s Shedeur Sanders who’s now holding the reins. And after a breakout performance in Week 14, head coach Kevin Stefanski has made it official: Sanders will start the final four games of the season.
Let’s rewind a bit.
The Browns entered the offseason with a quarterback room full of questions and a depth chart that looked more like a game of musical chairs. Kenny Pickett appeared to have the early edge, but an untimely injury derailed that momentum.
Enter Joe Flacco - the veteran presence many hoped could stabilize the offense. Instead, his struggles led to a quick hook and an opportunity for third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel.
Gabriel showed flashes, but a concussion sidelined him, opening the door for Sanders - and once he got his shot, he didn’t look back.
Now, it wasn’t a storybook start. In his first few outings, Sanders’ numbers were modest: a 52% completion rate, 769 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions across four appearances (three starts).
But Week 14 changed the narrative. Sanders lit it up, accounting for nearly half his season yardage and the majority of his touchdowns in a single game.
And perhaps just as importantly, he outplayed Cam Ward - this year’s No. 1 overall pick - in the process.
That performance was enough for Stefanski to move from week-to-week evaluations to a firm commitment. Sanders is the guy for the rest of the season.
It’s been an unconventional path to the top of the depth chart, no doubt. Sanders needed an injury to Pickett, a dip in form from Flacco, and a combination of injury and inconsistency from Gabriel to even get on the field.
But once he did, he made it count. That Week 14 game didn’t just earn him a start - it earned him the trust of a coaching staff that’s been cautious with quarterback declarations all year.
Now, with four games left, Sanders has a golden opportunity - not just to close out the season, but to make his case for 2026 and beyond. The Browns have searched high and low for stability under center. Maybe, just maybe, they’ve found it in the rookie who wasn’t supposed to be here yet.
And if Sanders keeps playing like he did in Week 14, this won’t just be a late-season audition. It might be the start of something much bigger in Cleveland.