Shedeur Sanders made a solid impression in his first NFL preseason game Friday, stepping up in a crowded Cleveland Browns quarterback room and showing why he could be a factor this season. With Joe Flacco resting, and both Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel sidelined by hamstring injuries, Sanders got the start against the Carolina Panthers in a 30-10 win and played almost three full quarters.
Sanders showed good mobility, throwing on the run and making some tough throws under pressure, including a 30-yard completion to Luke Floriea. He completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns.
Although the veteran Flacco is the presumptive starter for Week 1, the Browns’ quarterback competition remains open, with Sanders trying to prove he belongs as a fifth-round pick facing stiff competition. Despite the pressure of making his NFL debut under less-than-ideal circumstances, Sanders remained focused on the moment and what he could control.
“I just think about when I get out there just doing what I got to do,” Sanders said. “Everything else is not in my hands. So, why worry about it?”
Here’s what Sanders had to say postgame about his mindset, his role on the team, and the challenges ahead.
Treating preseason like the Super Bowl
As a fifth round draft pick and presumably lower on the Browns’ quarterback depth chart, Sanders isn’t in a position to take anything for granted. Every snap matters — whether it’s a preseason or regular-season game — and represents a chance to prove himself for a spot on the 53-man roster.
“Even though it’s a preseason game, typically people don’t take those too much serious, but that’s our Super Bowl,” Sanders said. “That’s each and every player’s Super Bowl. … You have to be able to go to war with each and every guy and understand we’re not playing for ourselves here, we’re playing for each other. So, not making selfish mistakes, not doing that type of stuff, getting through reads, handing the ball off, doing what you got to do. Everybody do their job, and that’s how we believe in one another.”
Growing comfortable with more reps
Sanders said his comfort level on the field is steadily improving. Despite the inevitable pressure of an NFL debut, he described his mindset in embracing the challenge and learning to find his rhythm within the flow of the game.
“I’m comfortable with being uncomfortable, you know?” Sanders said. “So, that’s what it is, you know. I got pockets of finding my rhythm, and I got to get into that quicker regardless of anything. But overall, I felt like I felt like me out there. I couldn’t do it, of course, without the time. I couldn’t do it without the play call. I couldn’t do it without anything.”
He continued: “So, I’m just thankful to even be able to have the joy of just being on the field overall, then carrying the responsibility of doing the right thing. So, that’s two badges under my belt already that I got out there. I feel like we operated the huddle really, really good.
“So, it’s just the small details that of course we practice on and we talk about. Towards the end I’ll say we got a little sloppy and we overall gonna finish it up, and that’s going to be a point of emphasis going into this next week. But, I was just thankful just to share that moment with everybody.”
Sanders pushes back on criticism
Sanders could have been set up to fail in his NFL debut after being thrust into a challenging situation with little notice despite limited reps in a crowded quarterback room. But Sanders rejected that narrative after a solid performance, saying he’s focused on the opportunities rather than excuses.
“I feel like making excuses for whatever situation is like you ask God for something and it’s there, then you going to complain about it,” Sanders said. “So, there’s two ways you could look at it: You could look at [it] and be thankful and take full advantage of the opportunity, or you could look at like, ‘Dang, this [isn’t] what I’ve been asking for. I’m not prepared.’
“So, I’ll say I’ve been able to sleep good at night knowing I was playing … I just prepared as normal but it was definitely that switch and it kicked in. And when you out there on the field, it’s different. You understand ball’s ball, but ball never been a problem for me. Whatever optics or whatever everybody makes up after outside the game … in the game y’all kind of know who I am.”