Shedeur Sanders has been waiting for this night since draft day, and on Sunday he finally jogged onto an NFL field for the very first time.
His debut came sooner than anyone in Cleveland expected, after starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel took a hit in the third quarter and was ruled out with a head injury.
Suddenly, Sanders—23 years old and carrying the weight of a famous last name—was told to grab his helmet and get ready.
The Stadium Erupts as Sanders Checks In
When Sanders ran out under the lights at Huntington Bank Field, the crowd didn’t just cheer—they roared.
It was as if everyone in the building sensed the significance of the moment, even if the rookie himself barely had time to process it.
A Tough Welcome from the Ravens Defense
His first real taste of NFL action, though, was far from storybook.
On a fourth-down play, Ravens defender Kyle Hamilton blew through the line and dropped Sanders for a sack.
Hamilton even rubbed it in by mocking Sanders’ trademark celebration while the rookie picked himself up.
It was a harsh reminder that the league doesn’t hand out gentle introductions—especially not against Baltimore.
Early Numbers Tell the Story
Sanders’ opening series didn’t get much easier.
Over his first three drives, he managed to complete two of five passes for 15 yards, threw an interception, and was taken down twice for a combined loss of 27 yards.
Not the debut he probably envisioned, but not unexpected for a quarterback thrown into a rivalry game with no warning.
The Journey That Led Him Here
The Browns drafted Sanders in the fifth round after his surprising fall down the draft board, a slide many analysts called one of the biggest shocks of the weekend.
Once he arrived in Cleveland, he faced another challenge: climbing a depth chart packed with veterans.
At one point, the Browns had five quarterbacks under contract—Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, Kenny Pickett, Deshaun Watson, and Sanders himself.
A Depth Chart Thinned by Injuries and Decisions
That crowded room quickly changed. Pickett was cut before Week 1. Flacco struggled through four starts and was eventually benched.
Watson continued rehabbing a torn Achilles, though setbacks have cast uncertainty over his return.
As those pieces shifted, Gabriel moved into the starter role and seemed to settle in—until his injury on Sunday opened the door for Sanders.
Gabriel’s Night Ends Early
Before going down, Gabriel was having an efficient if understated performance, completing seven of ten passes for 68 yards and being sacked just once.
After being evaluated for a concussion, the team declared him out for the rest of the night.
With no Flacco and Watson unavailable, the Browns had no backup plan left except to hand Sanders the reins.
A Glimpse Back at His Preseason Promise
What made fans so eager to see Sanders take the field was his preseason flash.
In his first exhibition appearance, he threw two touchdowns and completed 14 of 23 attempts against the Panthers—enough to create a wave of excitement.
But the momentum slowed after he missed the second preseason game with an oblique issue and then took five sacks against the Rams the following week.
A Chance to Prove Himself
Now, with Gabriel sidelined and Cleveland searching for stability, Sanders suddenly finds himself with an unexpected opportunity.
It may not have been the smoothest debut, but the Browns drafted him for a reason, and Sunday night might just be the beginning of his chance to prove it.
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