Browns QB Shedeur Sanders named starter for Sunday’s game vs. 49ers

Shadow Sanders will make his second NFL start on Sunday when the Cleveland Browns host the San Francisco 49ers.

Coach Kevin Stefanski announced Monday that Sanders will get another week under center. The rookie fifth-round pick completed 11 of 20 passes for 209 yards with one touchdown and one interception in Sunday’s 24-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Dillon Gabriel is expected to be Sanders’ backup once he clears the concussion protocol.

“A quarterback’s No. 1 job is to win. So, excited to get that first win under his belt,” Stefanski said. “And then the next thing is improvement, and that’s what young players do. Certainly young quarterbacks do. You get better one game, and that’s just by working at it. So that’s going to be our focus.”

Sanders is the first Browns rookie QB to win his first start since Eric Zier in 1995. It was the 11th time a pitcher has started for Cleveland since returning in 1999.

He was also the 13th different starter since Stefanski became coach in 2020.

Sanders’ 66-yard touchdown pass to fellow rookie Dylan Sampson and Isaiah Bond’s 52-yard completion are the two biggest plays of Cleveland’s season.

He was sacked just once and forced eight of his 21 dropbacks.

“I have no question about his toughness. I thought the protection and distance was good. He took a coverage sack early in the game. Definitely room for improvement,” Stefanski said.

Sanders said after the game that he felt very comfortable. Last week marked the first time he was able to train with the first team.

Sanders took his first NFL snap on November 16 during the second half of Cleveland’s 23–16 win over the Baltimore Ravens. He came into the game when Gabriel suffered a concussion late in the first half.

Joe Flacco started Cleveland’s first four games before being traded to the Cincinnati Bengals on October 7. Gabriel then started the next six.