Week 16 of the 2025 NFL season was host to a lot of important games. Many teams around the league had opportunities to solidify their spots in the playoffs, with plenty of others fighting to keep their hopes alive.
The Cleveland Browns weren’t one of those teams, on paper, as they had nothing to play for, other than draft position. Because of this, many believed the Buffalo Bills were going to blow them out of the water, considering they were still in the hunt for the AFC East title.
The game ended up being a lot closer than anyone was expecting, with the Bills narrowly winning, 23-20. There were several moments where it looked like the Browns had a chance to pull ahead, but they weren’t able to get it done. One such moment was the Browns going for it and failing on fourth and two near midfield, a decision Shedeur Sanders was asked about from a reporter.
Sanders called out the reporter for the question and believes he was trying to divide the team.
“I know you can’t be asking me that question, man. Come on, man. If we wanna change the narrative, change the franchise, those types of things separate us. A lot of the players, we get these types of questions, we wanna be proactive, but when you ask these questions, it’s like you pinning us against each other, it’s like come on now,” Sanders said.
“I know you can’t be asking me that question,” – Shedeur Sanders of it the Browns going for it on 4th and 2 was the right call.
Did you agree with the Browns going for it? pic.twitter.com/VNOeQdEtkz
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) December 21, 2025
With this response, Sanders quickly wanted to shut down any narrative about play-calling, directing any blame away from head coach Kevin Stefanski. He made special mention that, at this point in the season, the last thing his teammates want is to be pitted against each other.
The Browns understand where they’re at, and they know that they’re among the worst teams in the NFL.
Sanders reacting like this demonstrates that they’re trying to get better, doing whatever they can over the next few weeks to get momentum heading into 2026.
NEXT: The Browns’ Draft Outlook Just Got Very Interesting
