Shedeur Sanders isn’t waiting around for promises - and he’s not making any either.
In a candid video conference with reporters on Tuesday, the Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback made it clear: he’s locked into the present, not looking ahead to what may or may not come in 2026. And after a rollercoaster rookie season that saw him go from a fifth-round pick to a starter under center, you can understand why.
“I live in the present,” Sanders said. “I’m focused on this week and this game, and each week and every game because nothing’s promised.”
That mindset isn’t just talk - it’s rooted in his journey. After slipping to pick No. 144 in the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders landed in Cleveland, who passed on him six times before finally calling his name. He entered training camp as the fourth-string quarterback, buried on the depth chart and facing a steep climb just to make the roster.
But opportunity knocked five weeks ago when Dillon Gabriel went down with a concussion against Baltimore. Sanders stepped in and hasn’t looked back - at least not in terms of effort.
He won his first career start on Nov. 23 against the Raiders, showing poise and flashes of the arm talent that made him a standout at Colorado. Since then, though, it’s been a tough stretch: four straight losses, including a narrow defeat to Tennessee where Sanders threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns.
The numbers tell a story of growth and promise, but they also reflect the challenges of life as a young quarterback in the NFL. Mistakes, learning curves, and the weight of trying to prove you belong - Sanders is living all of it in real time.
And with Cleveland holding the No. 3 and No. 27 picks in next year’s draft, the questions are already swirling about the team’s long-term plans at quarterback. But Sanders isn’t letting that noise into his locker.
“I don’t think it’s about feeling a commitment,” he said. “It’s about controlling what you can control as a person, as a player.
I have to do my part and get some wins. I have to do my part and play clean football.
The rest isn’t in my hands.”
That’s the kind of mindset you want from a young quarterback - grounded, accountable, and focused on what he can do to earn his spot, not what the front office might be planning behind closed doors.
“I don’t own the organization, so I can’t promise anything what happens,” Sanders added. “I’m not God. I can’t dictate what’s going to happen each and every day, each and every minute.”
It’s a mature perspective for a rookie who’s had to grow up fast in the NFL spotlight. And now, with two games left on the schedule - starting Sunday at home against Pittsburgh - Sanders has a couple more chances to show Cleveland what he’s made of.
He’s not asking for guarantees. He’s just asking for the ball.