After the Cleveland Browns fell 26-8 to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13, Shedeur Sanders’ record as an NFL starter dropped to 1-1. The Browns’ rookie quarterback couldn’t recreate the spark he had against the Las Vegas Raiders last week. Still, NFL legend Michael Irvin did not hesitate to defend him in his recent statement on the QB situation in Cleveland.

“My nephew @shedeursanders is looking way better than ANY QUARTERBACK the @Browns have put on the field this SEASON!!!! !!!!!!!!!!! And last season,” wrote Irvin in the caption of his latest Instagram post.

Irvin suggested that Shedeur Sanders deserves to be the starter in Cleveland. That’s a bold opinion, isn’t it? But that opinion could be biased.

Irvin called Shedeur his “nephew”, and even though he is not related by blood to Shedeur’s father, Deion, they’ve always called each other brothers. Their bond began during their Dallas Cowboys days. As such, Irvin has mentored Shedeur, and now, he’s advocating for his long-term role with the Browns.

But Shedeur Sanders finished his first home start for the Browns with 149 passing yards and the Browns’ only touchdown. He completed 16 of his 25 throws and took three sacks that cost 34 yards. Still, Irvin insisted that Shedeur played better than any Browns QB this season. 

Despite the loss to the 49ers, Shedeur Sanders delivered one of the game’s best moments. With the Browns trailing 7-0, he connected with tight end Harold Fannin Jr. for a 34-yard touchdown. It was a clean and confident throw that showed how comfortable Shedeur is at pushing the ball downfield. And that’s becoming a trend. 

The rookie QB has already completed four passes of 30-plus yards in a little over two games. Meanwhile, former Browns QB Joe Flacco had two such passes in four starts in Cleveland. And another rookie QB in Cleveland, Dillon Gabriel, had zero such passes in eight games. That’s a telling difference, and that’s why even CBS analyst Trent Green praised Shedeur after the Week 13 game. 

“I’ve been impressed,” Green said. “He’s [Shedeur] managed things very well. Getting in and out of the huddle, the personnel groups, the line of scrimmage, calling plays, all of that stuff. I think he’s done a good job of managing things. Not taking a lot of risk, being smart with the decisions for the most part in terms of quick decisions, getting the ball out of his hands.”

Moreover, while Shedeur Sanders did not put up the best stats among the Browns’ three starters, he brought a different energy to Cleveland. The QB brought confidence and belief to his teammates in Cleveland. And it was clearly enough for Browns’ head coach Kevin Stefanski to finally make a QB decision in Cleveland.

Kevin Stefanski makes final QB1 decision with Shedeur Sanders

After the Week 13 game, Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Shedeur Sanders would start again in Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans. And his tone made it clear that the QB had earned the job. 

“Obviously, he’s [Shedeur] battling like all of our guys are battling,” said Stefanski in the post-game presser. “I know there’s plays he wants back, but we’ll look at it and correct it.”

A vote of confidence like that from the head coach will mean a lot to Shedeur Sanders, considering his journey to the QB1 role. He first saw regular-season snaps in Week 11 when Dillon Gabriel went out with a concussion. In Week 12, Shedeur then earned his first start against the Raiders. In that game, Shedeur created history as he led the Browns to a 24-10 win. 

However, Week 13 was tougher for the QB. He still showed growth, particularly in the first half when he completed 8 of 11 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. But late in the game, Shedeur briefly left after being injured. Gabriel, now cleared from concussion protocol, stepped in for a single play. Then Shedeur rushed back onto the field after being given the OK. And that moment said a lot about his mentality. 

Moreover, Shedeur Sanders has made it clear that he is competitive, and he wants the QB1 job in Cleveland despite people expecting him to fail. But the rookie has also admitted that he has improvements to make, and now he gets another chance to do so. The Browns face the Titans next week, and Cleveland will hope that Shedeur might be the spark their offense needs for the rest of the season.