Quarterback debates rarely stay local for long, especially when a famous name is involved. Once a backup plays well on national television, analysts across the country start picking sides. For the Browns, that is exactly what happened after Shedeur Sanders’ first start of the season in New Orleans. One former quarterback with ties to Cleveland is not hedging at all.
Robert Griffin III made his stance clear on his Outta Pocket podcast. He believes Shedeur Sanders should be the starting quarterback in Cleveland.
“Fact. Scream it from the mountaintops. Shedeur Sanders should be the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. He gives the Browns explosive plays that Deshaun Watson hasn’t. I know Shedeur and the Browns lost their game in overtime, but the way that he played and how he inspired the rest of his team, in my opinion, is why he should be the starting quarterback going forward. How does your backup, who doesn’t get any reps throughout the week, go out and outperform your starter? That, to me, is a sign that he should have been the starter from the beginning of the season,” Griffin said.
Shedeur Sanders is a starting Quarterback in the NFL and proved he should be the starter in Cleveland on Sunday.#Football #nfl #rg3 #cleveland #shedeursanders pic.twitter.com/30vtd1j3x9
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) November 11, 2026
Griffin knows the position and the city. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year with Washington in 2012 and spent the 2016 season with the Browns.
His point about explosive plays is backed up by the numbers. Sanders completed passes of 60 and 64 yards to Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion against the Saints. He now has 3 completions of 60 or more yards since the start of last season, tied with Aaron Rodgers and Sam Darnold for the most in the NFL. Watson has 1 this season.
Sanders finished with 297 yards and 2 touchdowns without an interception, and he led 3 scoring drives late in regulation and overtime. His teammates noticed too, with Concepcion calling him a game changer after the loss.
The Browns are going the other way for now. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Watson will start Sunday against the Houston Texans after clearing the protocol. Watson leads the NFL with 5 game-winning drives and was under center for all 5 Browns wins.
That puts a lot of pressure on Sunday. If Watson struggles and the Browns drop a 3rd straight game, voices like Griffin’s will only get louder.
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