Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will make his second consecutive start for the Cleveland Browns this Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, coach Kevin Stefanski announced Monday.
Sanders retains the starting job despite fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel clearing concussion protocol. Gabriel, who started six games this season before sustaining a head injury against the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 16, is expected to serve as Sanders’ backup.
“The number one job of a quarterback is to win,” Stefanski said regarding the decision. “So, excited to get that first win under his belt. And then the next thing is improvement.”
Sanders led the Browns (3-8) to a 24-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in his first NFL start Sunday. The fifth-round draft pick out of Colorado completed 11 of 20 passes for 209 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown pass to rookie running back Dylan Sampson. He also connected on a pivotal 52-yard pass to rookie receiver Isaiah Bond.
While Sanders threw one interception, the offense generated significantly more explosive plays than it had under Gabriel. In his six starts, Gabriel went 1-5, averaging just 5.1 yards per attempt with a passing attack that rarely challenged defenses downfield. By contrast, Sanders averaged 10.5 yards per attempt in Las Vegas.
Sunday’s game against the 49ers (7-4) at Huntington Bank Field will mark Sanders’ first career home start.
“It’s just about working at it,” Stefanski said of Sanders’ development. “You get one game better, and that’s just from working at it. So that’ll be our focus.”
Sanders becomes the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his first start since Eric Zeier in 1995.
