Shedeur Sanders’ future with the Cleveland Browns doesn’t seem to be locked, even after he was named the starting quarterback for the remainder of the 2025 season. The rookie had to wait until Week 11 to make his official NFL debut, and he’s been the starter ever since that Baltimore Ravens duel.
With two games left (vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday and at the Bengals in Week 18), questions about his future are still circling. Sanders has shown upside, although he has won only one game. The Browns might have a solid prospect on the roster, but that doesn’t mean questions will stop soon.
Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Sanders discussed how he copes with all the comments and rumors regarding his future.
“Nah, I don’t think it’s about feeling a commitment,” Sanders said on a Dec. 23 Zoom call. “I don’t think it’s about anything of that. It’s about controlling what you can control as a person, as a player. I think I have to do my part. I think I have to do my part and get some wins. I think I have to do my part and play clean football. The rest isn’t in my hands. That’s really all it is.
“I don’t own the organization, so I can’t promise anything what happens. I’m not God. I can’t dictate what’s going to happen each and every day, each and every minute. So you just got to enjoy what you do have. You got to enjoy the present. You can’t look too deep into the future because then you’ll miss the blessings and the lessons that you learned from the now.”
Shedeur Sanders has played six games this season, going 92 of 167 for 1,103 yards and six touchdowns. He has shown off his legs, too, carrying the ball 14 times for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot noted on Tuesday that Deshaun Watson’s return to the field would give the team more options to work with Shedeur Sanders. He could take a back seat and learn while Watson starts a few games.
“If they stick with Shedeur and feel like he needs a little more seasoning, maybe they let Deshaun start a few games and let Shedeur continue to learn whatever he needs to learn to go out there and win,” Cabot said.
Another option would be that Watson starts over a different rookie quarterback.
