Shedeur Sanders wins first NFL award after third career start with Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders took home a little bit of hardware despite the team losing against the Tennessee Titans.

Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) looks to throw a pass against the Tennessee Titans during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

After a stellar performance against the Tennessee Titans, the Cleveland Browns rewarded Shedeur Sanders with the reins of their starting quarterback for the remainder of the season.

Even though Sanders had 393 total yards and four touchdowns, the Browns found a way to lose their Week 14 matchup.

But that didn’t matter too much, as Sanders was named the Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Week.

Sanders was one of six nominees, including fellow Browns rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr., to be eligible to win the weekly award.

In his third consecutive start, Sanders threw three touchdown passes in an effort to bring the Browns back from down 14 against the worst team in the league. He was also Cleveland’s leading rusher against the Titans, and added a touchdown with his legs.

The Browns had not given Sanders any practice reps with the first team until before his first start against the Las Vegas Raiders. He’s certainly caught up – and has supplanted Dillon Gabriel, the third-round draft pick that was selected 50 slots ahead of Sanders.

During his five starts with the Browns, Gabriel was nominated for NFL Rookie of the Week for his performance against the New York Jets. He threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns in the losing effort. The award was given to New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough.

Certainly, the Browns will hope that Sanders can add awards to his NFL Rookie of the Week honors. Over the next four weeks, he will have a golden opportunity to audition for the Browns quarterback job going into 2026.

But more importantly, the pressure will be on Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski to continue developing Sanders on the fly while winning games.

Sanders’ 364 passing yards is tied for the third-most by a Browns quarterback of all-time. His three touchdown passes is tied for second most. He became the first Browns player to throw for at least 300 yards and have at least three touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown in a game.

During his four games played, Sanders has thrown three interceptions and has been sacked eight times. The Browns will continue to work with him on releasing the ball quickly and processing the field accurately.

But his performance against the Titans is proof that he’s a talented quarterback with pinpoint accuracy. Now, the entire league is forced to take notice as Sanders has won his first award in the NFL.