Controversy Surrounding Shedeur Sanders’ Debut

Any moment involving rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders has sparked discussions and headlines, even leading to a noticeable absence of recognition after his first NFL start.

This past week, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski addressed the controversy regarding why Sanders didn’t receive a game ball following the team’s 24-10 victory over the Raiders.

“We aim to shine a light on our players in every game,” Stefanski noted. He did acknowledge Sanders during his postgame speech. “I awarded the game ball to Miles [Garrett]; I felt he was incredibly impactful. But it’s about recognizing everyone’s contributions.”

He elaborated, “We took time this week to highlight all the players and their efforts. For example, I mentioned Gage Rabadine’s pivotal punt return—it was crucial for us. You don’t rack up 10 sacks on the D-line without solid coverage. And, of course, a win for a rookie’s first start on the road is significant. The team appreciates all that.”

Garrett shone in the game, notching three sacks, making it 13 in the last four games, which positioned him with an NFL-leading total of 18 sacks this season.

Sanders, now 23, completed 11 of his 20 passes for 209 yards, tossing one touchdown but also one interception during his Las Vegas debut after taking over for fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, who had a concussion the previous game.

The son of Hall of Famer and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, Shedeur’s draft stock dropped significantly, as he was selected by the Browns in the fifth round, 144th overall.

Earlier this week, Sanders described his relationship with Stefanski as fairly typical of player-coach dynamics. “He’s definitely like a coach,” Sanders shared. “He guides me on and off the field. We’ve both grown in this relationship, and I’m grateful to be here.”