Shedeur Sanders Named to Pro Bowl as Replacement in Mind-Boggling Decision

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders will represent the AFC at the 2026 Pro Bowl. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Shedeur Sanders is a Pro Bowler.

On Monday, the Browns’ rookie quarterback was added to the AFC’s roster for the Pro Bowl in what feels like an utterly crazy move. NFL insider Jordan Schultz was first to report the news.

Bills signal-caller Josh Allen is the AFC’s starter, while the Chargers’ Justin Herbert is the reserve at the position. Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye was the other reserve, but with his team playing in Super Bowl LX, another player was needed. Patrick Mahomes, Bo Nix, and others are dealing with injuries. Apparently, Sanders was the next man up despite guys like Joe Burrow and C.J. Stroud having better numbers.

Cleveland selected Sanders with the 144th pick in the 2025 NFL draft, selecting him in the fifth round after he was projected by many to come off the board in the first. He opened the season as the Browns’ third-string quarterback behind Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel replaced Flacco early in the season before Sanders took over in Week 12.

In eight appearances (seven starts), Sanders completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He averaged 6.6 yards per attempt, and his passer rating (68.1) and QBR (18.9) were both fairly terrible. His numbers are nowhere near Pro Bowl caliber, but here we are.

Sanders has become the first fifth-round pick to make the Pro Bowl as a rookie since Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua in 2023.

The Browns finished the season 5-12, and head coach Kevin Stefanski was fired. He has since taken the Falcons’ job.

There isn’t even a guarantee that Sanders will be Cleveland’s starting quarterback heading into next season, but he’ll be representing his conference at the Pro Bowl. This is an absolutely wild situation.

Shedeur Sanders' college stats

Sanders entered the 2025 NFL draft with a lot of hype. After two years playing under his father, Deion, at FCS Jackson State, he followed him to Colorado, where he was a two-year starter. He was solid as a junior in 2023, as he completed 69.3% of his passes for 3,230 yards, with 27 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 151.7.

As a senior in 2024, Sanders produced by far his best season. He completed an FBS-high 74.0% of his passes for 4,134 yards, with 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He averaged 8.7 yards per attempt and posted a passer rating of 168.2.

At the end of the 2024 season, Sanders finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting, while also being named first-team All-Big 12, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-American, while winning the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award given annually to the nation’s top upperclassman quarterback.

He had a lot of hype heading into the draft, with most expecting him to come off the board in the top 20 picks. Miami quarterback Cam Ward went to the Titans with the No. 1 pick as expected, then things went off the rails.

Sanders plummeted down the draft while he watched a slew of other quarterbacks jump him in a shocking development. Jaxson Dart went No. 25 to the Giants, Tyler Shough went No. 40 to the Saints, the Seahawks selected Jalen Milroe at No. 92, and the Browns snagged Gabriel at No. 94.

Finally, late in the fifth round, Cleveland dipped back into the well and grabbed Sanders with the 144th pick. He was the sixth quarterback off the board.

Now he’s the only one who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.

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