For the 17.6 million fans tuning into the NFL each week, the league’s future rests on moments like this: a hyped rookie, a massive stage, and a mother’s unshakeable belief. A major storyline this season and a new-age sensation has been Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who is set to make his first NFL start of his career in Week 12. And his mother has something to say on the topic.

“Today is Shedeur Sanders Day. Whether you love him, hate him, argue about him, or pretend you don’t care, guess what? You’re gonna be watching. All eyes, all screens, all timelines will be locked in on two 2-8 teams because of number 12,” read the caption of a recent video shared by Pilar Sanders on Instagram. “So go ahead. Lift those wrists. Hold them up high, because it’s just a matter of time. Perfect time. Happy Shadur Sanders Day.”

Shedeur’s mother, Pilar Sanders, shared the video with a powerful message for those who will watch her son take on the Las Vegas Raiders. 

Countless fans have been eagerly waiting to see Shedeur Sanders play for the Cleveland Browns. Thus far, the team has placed its confidence in veteran quarterback Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel. But after Gabriel went down with a concussion against the Baltimore Ravens, Sanders got his first taste of NFL football.

Coming on the field in the second half, Shedeur Sanders had a baptism by fire, throwing just 4-of-16 for 47 yards, while he rushed for an additional 16 yards from three carries. However, as it was later revealed, the 23-year-old had no first-team reps. Expectations are once again through the roof for Sanders, who has had a week’s training as QB1.

With all that in mind, it would be interesting to know how Shedeur Sanders is feeling ahead of his first NFL start.

What has Shedeur Sanders said about his first NFL start?

As the son of NFL Hall of Famer and two-sport legend Deion Sanders, the spotlight has always been on Shedeur Sanders as he navigated his journey to the NFL. After his final year in college football, where he recorded 4,134 passing yards and 37 touchdowns while winning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Sanders entered the 2025 NFL draft.

But despite being projected as a top prospect, Shedeur Sanders was the 144th pick by the Cleveland Browns, with many NFL teams passing on him. As the season started, the 23-year-old was QB3 in the Browns’ QB pecking order before rising through the ranks and making his debut in the last game. After this tumultuous journey, Sanders is roaring ahead of his first NFL start.

“I’m truly excited for that, knowing that I have a piece of [the] offense and a say so and how things fit my eye and place the players exactly where they need to be,” Sanders said, according to ESPN. “Seeing how they come in and out of routes, seeing the structure of the O-linemen, seeing their set, just having a feeling.”

Sanders made it clear he is stepping into this start with real ownership of the offense, stressing that having input on route shapes, protection looks, and overall structure is what finally allows him to play with the rhythm and feel he relies on.

“I’m more of a feel type of person, so that’s how I learn, that’s how I do everything. I got to be out there, feel it,” Sanders added. “I got to move around. It’s like so many details that it takes for me to feel my best and play my best, and I’m doing everything in my power and the team’s doing everything to help me get prepared.”

With both the Browns and Raiders sitting at 2–8, the stakes shift from playoff pressure to pure evaluation. That makes Shedeur Sanders’s first start all the more intriguing, as he finally gets a chance to show what he can do without the weight of postseason expectations.