Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders is facing a ton of pressure heading into his first start against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders made his NFL debut against the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday, and it did not go very well.
Sanders went 4-for-16 with 47 yards, an interception and a fumble (which the Browns recovered) in what ended up being a 23-16 loss, and as expected, he was heavily criticized afterward.
The 23-year-old didn't start the game, as he replaced fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, who exited with a concussion in the third quarter. Cleveland had a 16-10 lead when Sanders entered, but it didn't take long for that lead to evaporate.
Now, Sanders will be making his first start this Sunday when the Browns head on the road to face the Las Vegas Raiders, and the weight of the world is on Sanders' shoulders.
Nick Wright of Fox Sports has added fuel to the fire, essentially saying that Sanders' career is on the line this weekend.
"This game right here is, by a wide margin, the single biggest moment of Shedeur's football life," Wright said. "... If he’s terrible, and he was terrible last week, then more likely than not, this is the only start he ever gets for any team."
Sanders was expected to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but instead, he fell all the way to Day 3, where Cleveland traded up to land him in the fifth round.
"We know definitively no team loved him coming out of school," Wright added. "Nobody. There is not a player teams love that is available in the fifth round. This is Shedeur's moment."
Sanders began his collegiate career at Jackson State and spent two years there before transferring to Colorado ahead of 2023. During his final season with the Buffaloes in 2024, he threw 37 touchdown passes and completed 74 percent of his throws, leading the country in the latter category.
He then began his NFL tenure as the fourth-string quarterback for the Browns in training camp, but was moved up to third once Cleveland traded Kenny Pickett. Then, when the Browns dealt Joe Flacco midway through the 2025 campaign, Sanders was elevated to the role of primary backup.
Sanders now has a chance to potentially establish himself as Cleveland's franchise quarterback, but he'll definitely need to have a strong showing against the Raiders to gain some momentum.
If Sanders falls flat, it could spell bad news for his future.