Sanders named starter for rest of year after historic game

Kevin Stefanski inexplicably didn’t trust Shedeur Sanders enough to go win the game on a two-point conversion during his spectacular Sunday, but the head coach of the Cleveland Browns is handing over the keys to the former Colorado Buffaloes star for the rest of the season.

Stefanski named Sanders the Browns starter for the rest of the season on Monday. Sanders threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns in the Browns’ 31-29 loss to the Titans. He also ran the ball three times for 29 yards and another score. The Browns’ offensive output was 29, their second-highest output of the season.

“He has constantly and consistently gotten better in each one of these games,” Stefanski said. “I feel good about where his development is heading… he’s very instrumental about getting better.”

Sanders has made three starts, securing one of the Browns’ three victories this season in his debut. Sunday’s was his strongest game of he season yet, joining Joe Burrow in making NFL history as the lone rookies with 350 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and a rushing score in the same game in the Super Bowl era.

It’s no surprise to Buffs fans that Sanders is off to a solid start in his pro career and is earning more opportunities given his season last fall in Boulder.

Sanders was the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year last fall for an awesome season where he ranked in the top 10 nationally in completion percentage (74%), passing yards (4,134) and touchdowns (37) while breaking Colorado school records for passing touchdowns, passing yards, consecutive games with a touchdown pass, quarterback rating and completion percentage.

But it is a surprise now, given how his pro career began.

Sanders fell in the NFL Draft to the fifth round, pushing him to the Browns as the team’s second rookie quarterback. The first and starter until now, Dillon Gabriel, was ineffective but was injured with a concussion, which gave Sanders a chance. The team has traded both veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, while Deshaun Watson remains injured, though he is now practicing.

Sanders nearly won Sunday’s game against Tennessee. But Cleveland took Sanders off the field for a two-point conversion that could’ve tied the game. That’s creating controversy, given how well he was playing, but what is clear is that Sanders is the best healthy quarterback the Browns have, and he’ll have a chance to stamp his name into the franchise’s future plans.

The Browns have four games left, which gives Sanders a real audition for the Browns’ 2026 job.

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