“I felt like me out there,” he told reporters, brushing off the noise that had followed him all week. Shedeur Sanders walked into one of the most talked-about preseason games, with tension boiling before the ball was even snapped. ESPN’s Louis Riddick was among those questioning Kevin Stefanski’s decision to throw the rookie quarterback into the fire, hinting it might be a setup for failure. But once the game started, Sanders’ poise and control silenced all the doubts.
A few days earlier, Stefanski had already set the stage by confirming that several starters would be watching from the sidelines in the preseason opener. Friday night was for the younger legs. “We’ll rest some starters. Some players will play, obviously holding out some guys due to injury,” the coach said. Dillon Gabriel and Kenny Pickett were already out before kickoff. But the post-game news hit harder.
Two more names just got added to the Browns’ injury list. Mary Kay Cabot broke the bad news on X: “#Browns Luke Floriea suffered a hamstring injury during the #Panthers game and Lamereon James is in the concussion protocol.” Just like that, the depth chart got even thinner. What’s left is a mix of veterans and rookies. And that’s how Shedeur Sanders suddenly found himself center stage. The Browns’ quarterback room, which was supposed to be a crowded competition, turned into a one-man show almost overnight.
#Browns Luke Floriea suffered a hamstring injury during the #Panthers game and Lamereon James is in the concussion protocol.
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 9, 2025
Joe Flacco sat out for precautionary reasons, Pickett and Gabriel both battled hamstring issues, and Sanders was the only one standing without a trainer at his side. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Back in OTAs and minicamp, the plan looked balanced—Flacco’s leadership, Pickett’s push, Gabriel’s third-round promise, and Sanders’ slow-burn development as a fifth-rounder. But Dillon Gabriel wasn’t just in the mix; he was running with the ones.
Cleveland reporter Daryl Ruiter called it early, pointing out that Gabriel was getting opportunities he wasn’t earning. Meanwhile, Sanders couldn’t even sniff regular team reps. Now, Kevin Stefanski finally decided to let him on the field—and he made the most of his preseason debut.
Sanders had the spotlight
Shedeur Sanders announced himself to the NFL world with a debut worth remembering. Against the Panthers, he delivered his first professional touchdown. A precise seven-yard dart to Kaden Davis, threading it between two defenders. The timing and accuracy looked like a continuation of the promise he’d shown in college. And not like the work of a rookie still finding his feet.
By halftime, the Browns led 14-7, thanks in large part to Sanders’ second big strike. Facing a 2nd-and-12 from the 43, he danced away from pressure and found rookie wideout Luke Floriea for a spectacular one-handed catch. Later, on a subsequent drive, Sanders connected with Davis again for his second touchdown of the night, sealing a two-score performance for the rookie quarterback. Sanders finished with 138 yards and two touchdowns on 14-of-23 passing, turning what could have been a nervous debut into a splendid performance.
It’s a far cry from where Sanders started camp, buried on the depth chart and running with the third- and fourth-stringers. He kept his head down, refused to get frustrated, and stayed locked in. “It doesn’t make me feel down or it doesn’t make me feel left out or anything, because I know who I am as a person. I know who I am as an individual, and I know what I could bring to this team,” Sanders said. That self-assurance, paired with quiet persistence, is now starting to cash in. One throw at a time.
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