After having a strong debut against the Carolina Panthers, rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders struggled in his final preseason outing.
Sanders entered the contest during the third quarter, and the Browns owned a 16-7 lead over the visiting Los Angeles Rams.
When Cleveland pulled Sanders late in the fourth, the Browns trailed the Rams 17-16 after Sanders managed only one first down during five drives.
Teammate Joe Flacco was quick to come to Sanders’ defense following the game.
The 40-year-old veteran was honest about Sanders’ performance following the game, calling his struggles part of the process.
“That’s part of being a rookie. You’re going to get thrown into situations that maybe you don’t think are ideal … It’s part of the game. It’s part of what makes a football player, learning how to deal with those situations and learn from them. We’ve all been there,” Flacco said.
#Browns QB Joe Flacco on Shedeur Sanders having a tough outing today, shared a similar experience he had as a rookie that made him better: pic.twitter.com/IrqusozDra
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) August 23, 2025
Flacco recalled one of his first experiences with the Baltimore Ravens during his rookie season.
In that preseason game, Flacco said he was “thrown into the game” with under two minutes left.
While the quarterback led his team on a long drive, Flacco revealed that he fumbled the football on the one-yard line, turning the football over before his team could score.
Longtime Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was upset with the situation, Flacco said.
Sanders’s ineffective outing was a stark contrast to his first NFL experience.
Against the Rams, Sanders completed only three of his six pass attempts for 14 yards while being sacked five times.
NEXT: Key Browns Player Suffered Injury During Saturday's Game
