Browns Bench Shedeur Sanders: What It Means To His Career

It was the final few minutes of the game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cleveland Browns when, suddenly, quarterback Shedeur Sanders was benched.

Sanders was recently drafted during the 2025 NFL Draft. He was the 144th pick in the fifth round – a surprising result because he was expected to be picked in the first round. Since then, he has had a good preseason with the Browns. During the game against the Rams, he attempted six passes, of which only three were completed, resulting in a total of 14 yards gained.

In Sanders’ debut the previous week, he far exceeded the team’s expectations.

In early August, Sanders suffered an oblique strain injury while they were practicing. This result led him to miss the second NFL preseason game in which the Browns beat the Eagles.

Sanders seemed unaware that he had been benched. Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski decided to play Tyler Huntley, who had just signed with the team earlier this month.

Once Sanders realized that he was being benched, he walked toward his coach and asked him to let him play the final minutes. Sanders was seen frustrated when his coach would not let him go back in.

What does all of this mean to Sanders’ career? Sanders is expected to make the final roster as the fourth quarterback. He is under a four-year contract with the team, and he will likely serve as a backup player. The injury that he sustained at the beginning of the month set back his career aspirations.

As the NFL season begins in early September, it presents a new opportunity for Sanders to secure more playing time and defend his position. The first game of the NFL that the Cleveland Browns will play is against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7.