Shedeur Sanders is set to make his sixth start as the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback this Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. And while the Browns have been out of the playoff picture for a while now, this final stretch of the season is less about chasing wins and more about building something for the future-and Sanders is right at the center of that plan.
There’s been some noise about tension between Sanders and head coach Kevin Stefanski, but the rookie quarterback put that to rest earlier this week. His message was clear: the relationship is solid, and it’s built on performance.
“It means a lot because having a coach’s trust is a big thing in this game,” Sanders said. “You build trust.
You get trust and you earn the trust of the coach by getting completions, by moving the ball down the field and doing what we did last game. That’s how you build trust.”
That last game he’s referencing? It showed flashes of what Sanders could be.
He’s not just out there logging reps-he’s learning, adjusting, and trying to earn his place in the league. It’s a process every rookie quarterback goes through, and Sanders is embracing it head-on.
The Browns drafted him with the 144th overall pick in this year’s draft, making him the second quarterback they selected after taking Dillon Gabriel earlier. That kind of investment signals a team looking for answers under center, and Sanders is getting a real shot to show he might be one of them.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed on Monday that Sanders will remain the team’s starting quarterback through the end of the season. That kind of vote of confidence matters-especially for a young quarterback trying to find his rhythm in the NFL.
And it’s not just Stefanski who’s taken notice. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin had some high praise for Sanders ahead of their Week 17 matchup.
“Shedeur is doing a really good job,” Tomlin said. “He’s growing and growing with each week from an outsider’s perspective.
I think it’s always cool when you’re growing with the company. I certainly see him gravitating towards some young players whose roles are expanding since the last time we played them.”
That’s a nod not just to Sanders’ development, but to how he’s fitting into the broader picture in Cleveland. The Browns are leaning into their youth movement, and Sanders is becoming a focal point of that.
Statistically, Sanders’ rookie campaign has been a mixed bag-typical for a young quarterback finding his footing. Through six games, he’s completed 92 of 167 passes for 1,103 yards, with six touchdowns and eight interceptions. On the ground, he’s added 123 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
He’s 1-4 as a starter so far, but that win-loss record doesn’t tell the whole story. What matters more right now is how he’s progressing-how he’s reading defenses, how he’s handling pressure, how he’s bouncing back from mistakes. And by all accounts, he’s doing the work.
Sunday’s game against the Steelers won’t change the Browns’ postseason fate, but it could be another important step in Sanders’ development. A strong showing against a Mike Tomlin defense would be no small feat, and it would give Cleveland fans one more reason to believe that the future under center might already be on the roster.