Shedeur Sanders’ pursuit of a dream NFL debut became the worst nightmare of his career at Huntington Bank Field on Sunday. The Cleveland Browns faced a heavy defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens (23-16). Hoping to get the Browns back on track after Dillon Gabriel left with a concussion, Sanders fumbled big time with his three incompletions. Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, however, doesn’t think it was Sanders who was at fault, but head coach Kevin Stefanski. 

Sharpe called out Stefanski for poor decision-making and relying too much on the primary quarterback. He defended Sanders’ inaccurate throws, adding that it was natural for a young rookie to make mistakes. Nonetheless, Sanders could only complete 4 passes out of 16 attempts for 47 yards and a costly interception.

“So you don’t think Dillon Gabriel could possibly get hurt. He can’t possibly break a knee, sprain a shoulder, or get a concussion. There’s no possible way anything could go wrong that you want to get Shedeur to do one rep with the ones or two reps with the ones?” an amused Sharpe questioned on NightCap with Chad Johnson after knowing that it was Sanders’ first reps with the starting offense since getting drafted in April 2025.

Coach Stefanski has often caught criticism for poor handling of Sanders.  The drama around the duo unfolded in preseason when the ex-Colorado QB got placed fourth in the depth chart. He was never given first-team reps and had limited chemistry-building opportunities with the starting unit.

It all boiled down to a disastrous showdown from Sanders when it mattered the most. However, the overall sentiment among senior players shifted in favor of their young QB just as quickly. 

Browns vet Myles Garrett backs Shedeur Sanders despite poor debut

After the game, Shedeur Sanders looked visibly upset and frustrated on the sidelines. His teammates were seen encouraging him for the efforts he showed. “He wanted to pin it on himself … I wouldn’t allow him to do that. It’s a team game,” veteran star Myles Garrett said to the reporters during Sunday night’s presser.

“I know he wants to make the play. He wants to have that game-changing drive because he feels like he has that ability and we’ve seen it. So don’t be discouraged from one drive or two drives,” Garrett stressed about what’s ahead for Sanders, as he would most likely be leading from the pocket during the Raiders faceoff in Week 12. As Dillon Gabriel enters the concussion protocol, this one week will be crucial. It is less likely he will make a return unless the medical team clears it. 

The Browns are currently placed at the bottom of the AFC North with a poor 2-8 record and lost hopes for a wild card ticket. Hence, Sanders can utilize this opportunity to win the hearts of the Browns fanbase and make a strong case for himself as a reliable starter for the franchise in the coming weeks.