It was clear that whichever team selected Shedeur Sanders would end up in the spotlight. For better or worse, he is a high-profile player, and ahead of the most recent NFL Draft he was projected to be a first-round pick. However, he fell to the fifth round, where he was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 144th overall pick.
From that moment on, the Browns gained significant attention on social media. The team has been closely followed on a daily basis, with every move made by Shedeur Sanders under scrutiny. The former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback arrived in the NFL and faced a much different reality than expected. Instead of arriving as a star, he was initially the fourth option on Cleveland’s depth chart.
Shedeur Sanders was largely overlooked until Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion in Week 10 against the Baltimore Ravens. From that point forward, Sanders took control of the Cleveland Browns’ offense. While his performance was not spectacular, it was an improvement over what Gabriel and Joe Flacco had previously provided while leading the offense.
Shedeur Sanders throws a 34-yard touchdown to Harold Fannin Jr.!
SFvsCLE on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVntpic.twitter.com/V1WTdsoLm2
? NFL (@NFL) November 30, 2025
Shedeur Sanders’ presence influences the head coach search
The Cleveland Browns are currently searching for a new head coach following the dismissal of Kevin Stefanski, who had been with the team since 2020. Although his tenure featured more positives than negatives, the 2024 and 2025 seasons were disastrous, particularly at the quarterback position, making his situation untenable. Even so, Stefanski is a two-time NFL Head Coach of the Year and remains one of the most sought-after coaches in the league.
Now, the Browns must find a coach who can make them competitive, preferably one with an offensive-minded approach. Team insider Mary Kay Cabot revealed that Shedeur Sanders is influencing the head coach search in one way or another: “I think that the Browns are probably talking to these candidates a whole lot about what they see and think about Shedeur Sanders,” the reporter said.
“I think that the Browns are probably talking to these candidates a whole lot about what they see and think about Shedeur Sanders.”
@MaryKayCabot w/ @CLETalkingHeads on how the #Browns QB factors into the coaching search pic.twitter.com/dy3wMYm7ZJ
? 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) January 14, 2026
With Shedeur Sanders leading the offense, the Cleveland Browns posted a 3-4 record. While those wins were largely supported by the team’s strong defense, Sanders showed why he was once considered a first-round prospect, even though he also displayed some notable mistakes.
SHOULD THE #BROWNS HIRE DEION SANDERS AS THEIR NEXT HEAD COACH…?
Sanders is 58 and has been the head coach at Colorado. Prime Time was a 2x SB Champion & Hall of Famer.
Deion is the father of Cleveland rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
The Sanders family in Cleveland pic.twitter.com/owUEcS8AtN
? MLFootball (@MLFootball) January 14, 2026
Shedeur Sanders finished the season with 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdown passes, and 10 interceptions. One notable takeaway is that, despite all the criticism surrounding him, he consistently showed respect and patience. He now awaits the decision on the new head coach and, more importantly, the situation surrounding Deshaun Watson, who appears likely to receive an opportunity during the preseason.