It took many weeks before Shedeur Sanders got his first start with the Cleveland Browns. The much-hyped fifth-round pick made an uneven seven starts down the stretch, though ended the year on a high note witha win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Following that seven-start audition, Sanders was asked Monday whether he believes he showed enough to warrant being the team's starter next season. While Sanders made it clear he has confidence in his ability, he deferred to the team's decision makers to make that call, saying, "It's not in my hands and I can't speak on how other people feel."
#BrownsQB Shedeur Sanders on whether he believes he showed enough to GM Andrew Berry to win the starting job."I think I did what I was able to do. I grew from a lot of things, and I have experience now. I'm always the same confidence-wise. It's not in my hands, and I can't…pic.twitter.com/YylPbY47uO
— Ashly Holder (@AshNoelleTV)January 5, 2026
Sanders' future with the franchise is an even bigger question followingthe firing of head coach Kevin Stefanskion Monday. Stefanski was initially hesitant to insert Sanders into the starting lineup, but an injury to rookie Dillon Gabriel forced the coach's hand. But once Sanders got the role, he kept it, starting the team's final seven games.
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With Stefanski out now, it will be up to general manager Andrew Berry and the team's next head coach to determine whether Sanders deserves to be the team's starter next season — or if he should be given the chance to compete for the job.
Sanders, 23, experienced a few highs as the Browns' starter. He seemed to have a knack for deep touchdowns, and turned in a three-touchdown performance against the Tennessee Titans in Week 14.
Other than that, though,he mostly struggled. Sanders finished the year with a 56.6 completion percentage. He tossed seven touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
While that performance should be expected from a fifth-round rookie, Sanders was not the typical fifth-rounder. After a standout college career at Colorado, Sanders was projected by many to be an early-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, with some analysts believing he would go in the first round.
But Sanders experienced one ofthe most shocking draft fallsin recent memory, plummeting all the way to the fifth round before the Browns eventually selected him with the 144th overall pick. Given those high draft projections — and Sanders being the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders — there was far more excitement and expectation than normal surrounding the pick.
Whether Sanders lived up to those expectations in his seven-game stint as the starter will be up to Berry and the Browns' next head coach. Berry was non-committal when asked about the situation Monday, saying he wasn't sure ifthe team's 2026 starter was currently on the Browns.
The team could have an opportunity to add an elite talent at the position in the 2026 NFL Draft, as theBrowns hold the No. 6 overall pick. Depending on who is still available, the Browns might have a hard time passing on quarterback with that pick.
That feels like the most likely outcome. Despite the hype, Sanders lasted until the fifth round of the NFL Draft and followed that up with a rocky rookie season. Even if he's not outright replaced in the offseason, Sanders is unlikely to be guaranteed anything from the Browns heading into 2026.
Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) 
