Browns QB Shedeur Sanders to make first NFL start Sunday vs. Raiders

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Shedeur Sanders made his NFL debut in Week 11.

In Week 12, Sanders will make his first start for the Browns against the host Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski announced on Wednesday.

Sanders replaced fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel after the latter suffered a concussion during the team’s Week 11 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. With Gabriel in the league’s concussion protocol, Sanders will become the third Browns starting QB this season following Joe Flacco and Gabriel.

The rookie will take first-team reps in practice throughout the week for the first time.

“I think you’re always trying to do that with all your players to make sure that they are comfortable, and it’s no different with Shedeur in there,” Stefanski said Wednesday. “You want to make sure that all the concepts are things that he feels confident in. Obviously, having been around him over the months, you get a good sense of the things that fit his eyes. So, definitely want to lean into those types of things, and he’s working very hard.”

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Sanders admittedly struggled against the Ravens in the 23-16 setback, completing just 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards and an interception with a 13.5 rating.

In his time against the Ravens, Sanders got his first work with the Cleveland first-team offense after not taking snaps with the No. 1s in the preseason or practices.

The son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, Shedeur starred under his father at Colorado before he became arguably the largest story of the 2025 NFL Draft when he dropped from a potential first-rounder to being taken by Cleveland in the fifth round at No. 144 overall.

Now, he’s got his shot at proving all the naysayers wrong when he leads the Browns into Week 12.

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