Shedeur Sanders Shines in NFL Preseason Debut as Browns Face Panthers
On Friday night, rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders made a striking NFL preseason debut for the Cleveland Browns in their opener against the Carolina Panthers at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Selected in the fifth round, 144th overall, of the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders’ start was largely influenced by injuries among the Browns’ quarterbacks. Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel were sidelined with hamstring injuries, while veteran Joe Flacco was held out of the game by coach Kevin Stefanski. This situation provided Sanders a rare and significant opportunity to showcase his skills early in his professional career.
Coach Stefanski confirmed that Sanders was expected to play roughly 50 snaps, a substantial workload for a preseason starter. Alongside him, free agent quarterback Tyler Huntley also saw action, as both were the only quarterbacks available for the game. The Browns still face uncertainty about their Week 1 starter, as Sanders competes with Flacco, Pickett, and Gabriel for the role.
Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 212 pounds, Sanders had been projected by some analysts to be a top-10 pick but ultimately fell to the fifth round. Prior to joining the Browns, he earned the prestigious Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in 2024 and played under the guidance of his father, NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, at both Jackson State and Colorado.
Deion Sanders expressed mixed emotions about his son’s NFL debut, acknowledging the “weird” and “strange” circumstances while showing confidence in Shedeur’s potential. He specifically praised his son’s commitment and focus during the Browns’ training camp and indicated that this preseason game would be a vital step towards proving Shedeur’s ability to compete at the highest professional level.
Throughout the game, fans and analysts closely watched Sanders to evaluate whether he could translate his collegiate success into the NFL. His performance is not only important to his individual career but also pivotal in the Browns’ quarterback competition, as the team tries to determine their starter for the regular season.
The Browns-Panthers preseason matchup was more than just a routine exhibition game; for Sanders, it was a moment to claim his space and respond to early skeptics who questioned his draft slide and readiness for the NFL.
As the preseason progresses, the Browns and their fans will be eager to see how Sanders builds on this first professional appearance and whether he can make a substantial impact on the team’s offensive prospects in the upcoming regular season.