Will the Browns Start Shedeur Sanders This Season?

Stephen Douglas | Oct 27, 2025

Shedeur Sanders was inactive on Sunday. Will the Browns ever activate him? / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The Browns lost to the Patriots on Sunday to drop to 2-6 on the season. Dillon Gabriel struggled and the world wants to know, when will Shedeur Sanders finally play? If not now, when? And if not at all, why?

Sanders, whose spot on the depth chart has been a true curiosity this season, was inactive on Sunday as Gabriel struggled against the Patriots. The rookie out of Oregon completed 21 of 35 passes for 156 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and what 92.3 The Fan's Ken Carmen called the worst safety in NFL history.

🏈"This is a worse safety than Dan Orlovsky. That is such a panic 'I don't belong on the field' play. Who sees this and says they don't want to see Shedeur Sanders play?"@KenCarman & @SportsBoyTony still can't believe what they saw during Dillon Gabriel's safety😂 https://t.co/JKXI71nQZz pic.twitter.com/2tOGXU2zpa

— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) October 27, 2025

ESPN Cleveland's Tony Rizzo was left wondering what the team was waiting for before saying the team needed to clear out the front office and start over. He also wondered how Sanders could get hurt since they won't even let him play.

“WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???” - Rizz says it’s time to see Shedeur Sanders.

Do you agree? https://t.co/8xIkhTd1Nw pic.twitter.com/hpyNmY6dnG

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) October 27, 2025

On Sunday Robert Griffin III made a similar point saying that Sanders wouldn't get a real chance in Cleveland until Kevin Stefanski was gone.

The only way Shedeur Sanders EVER gets a chance to be the starter in Cleveland is if Kevin Stefanski gets fired. pic.twitter.com/wn1mKxbN1Q

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 26, 2025

On ESPN Radio, David Dennis Jr. compared the situation in Cleveland to Tim Tebow.

"GET SHEDEUR OUT THERE."@clintonyates and @DavidDTSS on it being time for the Browns to change QB's. pic.twitter.com/IWCFBFEF1Z

— Clinton & Friends (@ClintonNFriends) October 27, 2025

The consensus is that Sanders needs a chance to play. Gabriel has averaged 170 yards in his four starts. The Browns have won only one game and in that game he threw for 116 yards against the Dolphins. With the poor performance in the latest game, there's not really an argument to not give Sanders a shot.

The Browns are headed to a bye tied for the third-worst record in the AFC. When they come out of the bye they have three of the worst teams in the league waiting in the Jets, Ravens and Raiders. If you wanted to give Sanders a shot, there couldn't possibly be a better scenario than three straight teams with a combined five wins through eight weeks.

If you wanted to give a young quarterback a decent chance to succeed, this is it. If you don't, why did you draft him in the first place? Why did you trade Joe Flacco? Why are you still operating like the Browns?

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