The Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders left the game against the Rams on Saturday. Coaches didn’t give him the chance to run plays, and the Browns ultimately lost 17-16.
It was the final preseason game of the year, and fans heavily criticized head coach Kevin Stefanski. Many even accused him of sabotaging Sanders since he pulled him out with just 2:03 left in the game. Stefanski then responded to the backlash.
An unexpected move for the Browns
According to the New York Post, NFL experts and fans expect Sanders to be part of the Browns’ quarterback roster. This decision left them stunned.
Derek Carr questioned on social media: “I need to understand why we can’t see @ShedeurSanders run a 2-minute drill. Wouldn’t you want your young QB to operate in this situation?” He added: “Get him more reps for the future? I didn’t watch the entire game, maybe he showed enough already. Help me understand this…”
I asked #Browns Kevin Stefanski about the persistent narrative that he’s sabotaging Shedeur Sanders. He doesn’t listen to outside noise but he said this: pic.twitter.com/BxM3QG4Iky
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 24, 2025
Hall of Famer Kurt Warner also expressed frustration on X about Sanders’ situation:
“I was really looking forward to the competition between Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the last preseason game… I know that’s how it sometimes plays out, but it’s a shame both didn’t get the same chances to make plays! DG played well again, but had opportunities… SS didn’t get those same opportunities, so it was hard to make a fair evaluation!”
Mary Kay Cabot from Cleveland.com directly asked Stefanski about “the ongoing narrative that he’s sabotaging Sanders.” Stefanski replied:
“I’m committed to his development, just like we are with all our rookies… We’ll keep focusing on improving our guys. That’s what we remain committed to, and that’s what matters to me.”
Recently, the Browns named Joe Flacco as their starting quarterback. Now, Kenny Pickett is expected to serve as backup, though a hamstring injury sidelined him for most of the preseason.
