Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will make the first start of his career on Sunday, coach Kevin Stefanski announced Wednesday morning.
Later in the day, Sanders received his first reps with the first-team offense.
“I know our fans have a lot of expectations and hope, and I would be doing a disservice to myself and disservice to the organization if I didn’t feel like I am the guy,” Sanders said, via a transcript from the team. ” I’m doing everything I need to prepare to be the best version of myself as possible. With the circumstances, everything got me sped up, and that’s great . I like pressure in life. I’m just excited for everything. So, I feel like I’m the guy. I know I’m the guy, but you just have to be able to see. The game got to speak.”
Sanders went 4-of-16 for 47 yards with an interception and two sacks in Sunday’s loss to the Ravens after replacing Dillon Gabriel, who will remain out this week with a concussion.
Sanders will become the 42nd different starting quarterback of the Browns since 1999, a number Sanders calls “crazy.” For the third consecutive season, Cleveland will start at least three quarterbacks.
“I’m my own biggest critic, you know?” Sanders said. “So, in certain situations in the game, even in that fourth down in that last game, I wish I would have just extended the play. So mind you, I don’t listen to critics. I don’t listen to anybody that has to say that’s not within the organization, not within the team, not within the family or anything, because it’s like everybody has their own perspectives, but they’re not out there doing it or they’ve done it in a past life and their time has passed. So, I’m just thankful that I’m living in the present and now I have the opportunity to go out there and do the best I can.
“Will there be mistakes? Of course, but it won’t be as many mistakes, we’re trying to minimize those as much possible.”