Shedeur Sanders had his NFL debut on Sunday with the weight of expectations that had been building for weeks. The Cleveland Browns’ fifth-round rookie quarterback had generated significant attention from fans and media who viewed him as a potential long-term solution.
His first real opportunity with what appeared to be first-team snaps did not match the anticipation surrounding his arrival. Sanders finished 4-of-16 for 47 yards with one interception in the second half.
The statistics reflected a performance that fell short of the moment. Fans reacted with mixed assessments after the game, with opinions ranging from calls for patience to support for Kevin Stefanski’s decision to delay his playing time.
Shedeur Sanders in his first action:
4/16
47 yards
1 INT
1 fumble pic.twitter.com/Xzgn56Gci0— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) November 17, 2025
Fans Have Mixed Reviews About Shedeur Sanders’ Debut
One fan wrote, “Dillon Gabriel longest pass completion of the season came today. Completed a 26 yard pass. Shedeur Sanders came in with no first team reps all season and completed a 25 yard pass. Coach might want to start giving Shedeur some first team reps.”
Another shared, “Dont Care. My FIRST day at work wasn’t great either. He’s STILL the people’s choice.”
A different perspective came from another fan who wrote, “Indefensible but you have to imagine he’d look a bit better with some first teams reps. Chemistry has to start somewhere. But overall, not a very encouraging performance.”
Others pointed to the context of his limited preparation. One fan wrote, “Starting to make sense why he was backing up Gabriel, though the talent around him doesn’t help.”
Another fan shared, “Shedeur was horrible. As someone who was rooting for Shedeur Sanders, that was just bad. He had the perfect set up. A 16-10 lead and the defense playing well. People owe Dillon Gabriel an apology for booing.”
Sanders arrived in Cleveland after a productive collegiate career at Jackson State and Colorado. He set the FBS record for career completion percentage at 71.8% during his time at Colorado.
The 2024 season saw him throw for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns while earning multiple national honors before entering the 2025 NFL Draft. Recent weeks had brought growing pressure for Sanders to receive increased opportunities as the offense struggled under Gabriel.
His first NFL appearance provided a glimpse into his current readiness level. The focus now shifts to whether he can develop from this experience and eventually meet the expectations that have followed him to the professional level.
NEXT: Fans React To Browns' Tough Loss To Ravens
