Kevin Stefanski Responds to Narrative That He's 'Sabotaging' Shedeur Sanders

In this story:
Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders struggled in his team's preseason finale on Saturday afternoon in Cleveland. The fifth-round pick completed just 3-of-6 passes for 14 yards and was sacked five times before being replaced by Tyler Huntley to close out the game.
Both fans and media members alike have come to the defense of Sanders following the contest, claiming that head coach Kevin Stefanski's handling of the quarterback competition was a detriment to the former Colorado signal-caller. Stefanski was asked about this narrative on Sunday by Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot:
"Obviously I don't concern myself with outside type of things ..." he said. "I'm committed to his development, just like all of our rookies, so we'll continue to focus on getting our guys better. And that's what we'll stay committed to, and that's what's important to me."
Here's a video of Stefanski's answer:
I asked #Browns Kevin Stefanski about the persistent narrative that he’s sabotaging Shedeur Sanders. He doesn’t listen to outside noise but he said this: pic.twitter.com/BxM3QG4Iky
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 24, 2025
Sanders has had an up-and-down start to his NFL career this summer. While he impressed in his debut, the 23-year-old has also dealt with shoulder and oblique injuries that have hindered his ability to stay on the field.
After naming Joe Flacco their starter last week, it sounds like the Browns plan to keep four quarterbacks on their 53-man roster to begin the season. They'll open the campaign on Sunday, Sept. 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated

Mike Kadlick is a senior NFL news writer for Sports Illustrated. He’s also a New England Patriots reporter for CLNS Media, where he hosts the Patriots Daily podcast and covers the beat from Gillette Stadium. Before joining SI, Kadlick worked at WEEI sports radio in Boston. He holds a master’s degree in public relations from Boston University. When Kadlick’s not covering football, he can be found running, spending time with his wife and dog, and enjoying all things pizza.