Shedeur Sanders's NFL Debut Drove Best Preseason Ratings in a Decade

Everybody wants to see what Sanders can do.

Shedeur Sanders threw for two touchdowns in his first NFL preseason game and many, many fans watched. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Shedeur Sanders is no normal fifth-round pick. The rookie quarterback's shocking draft day fall was the talk of the NFL for weeks and his first training camp has taken place under an intense microscope. It turns out interest in the Browns' young signal-caller is widespread even beyond draft gurus and passionate Cleveland fans.

On Wednesday, the NFL announced that Sanders's NFL preseason debut for the Browns against the Panthers ranked as one of the two most-watched preseason games in a decade, alongside Texans-Vikings from the same week. Sanders was named the starter due to injury and threw a pair of touchdown passes.

🚨Most-Watched LIVE Preseason Week 1 EVER on @nflnetwork!🚨

• 8 Preseason Week 1 games on NFL Network averaged 2.1M TV+Digital viewers – up +44% vs. 2024

• Browns-Panthers & Texans-Vikings rank as NFL Network’s two most-watched preseason games since 2015

• @gmfb viewership… pic.twitter.com/X31FZFq6YM

— NFL Media (@NFLMedia) August 13, 2025

While there was undoubtedly some kind of boost from it being the first week of NFL action since last season, the Sanders hype is real. Regardless of what one may think about his future in the pros he is a lightning rod for attention right now and his story will only draw more eyeballs as the season approaches.

An early accolade for Sanders as he battles for a spot on the Browns' crowded depth chart.

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