Shedeur Sanders has finally stepped out of his father’s shadow and into the spotlight. In spite of all the noise and criticism, the rookie quarterback just led the Browns to a 24-10 road win over the Raiders in his first career start.
It may not have been the flashiest performance, but he managed the game and helped secure the victory. Sanders finished the game 11 of 20 passing for 209 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. More importantly, he made the key plays the Browns needed.
The son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, Shedeur is used to facing big-time pressure and national media attention. Yet none of it seems to faze him. Sanders looked poised and in complete control of the offence this past Sunday, becoming the first Browns quarterback since 1995 to win his first NFL start.
Shedeur didn’t hold back when speaking to the media after the game, saying “The win is crazy. It’s amazing. Off of one week of practice, you know what I mean? This is one week of practice. Imagine what a full offseason looks like … it gets dangerous!”
With Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski quickly announcing that Sanders will be the team’s starting quarterback against the 49ers in Week 13, he’ll get another chance to prove himself this upcoming Sunday.
A Lifetime of Comparisons
It didn’t matter that Deion played defensive back and Shedeur plays quarterback; when Prime Time is your dad, comparisons are unavoidable. From Pop warner to college football, all of his accomplishments acted as a measuring stick.
His opponents played him harder, looking to make a play on Prime’s son and make a statement at his expense. Even his coaches looked at him differently, assuming his opportunity came from his name, not his talent. But time and time again, Shedeur let his performance do the talking and proved he belonged on his own merits.
Playing for his dad in college only amplified the comparisons instead of quieting them. When your head coach is also your father, the comparisons don’t go away, they get louder. Starting out at Jackson State before both father and son switched to Colorado, Shedeur played his entire college career under coach Prime.
Even now, as he’s starting to make a name for himself in the NFL, the comparisons continue. Whether he flames out in Cleveland or goes on to have a Hall of Fame career, Shedeur will always be compared to his father.
Haters Gonna Hate
Throughout the entire draft process, Sanders has faced an endless barrage of criticism from NFL scouts and executives. They critiqued everything from his footwork to his maturity, doubting that he had what it takes to make it at the next level.
His freefall in the 2025 NFL Draft was well-documented. At one point in the conversation for the first overall pick, Sanders tumbled on draft day and ended up being taken by Cleveland in the fifth round, 144th overall. The skepticism continued into training camp, with every throw analyzed and each incompletion taken as an indictment of his talent.
All Shedeur could do was sit and wait for his opportunity. With Joe Flacco eventually shipped out of town and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel now dealing with a concussion, that opportunity came knocking in Week 11 against the Raiders.
Sanders once again rose to the occasion, tuning out the haters and putting forth an impressive performance in his first NFL start. Here are some of the main concerns scouts had with Sanders’ play and what his performance Sunday revealed about each of them:
Concern #1 – Slow Reads
Throughout his college career, Shedeur was criticized for taking too long to analyze the play. His delayed reads resulted in him holding onto the ball for too long, inviting pressure from opposing defences.
- NFL Debut: While far from perfect, Sanders read the field well versus the Raiders. He showed solid timing and the ability to escape pressure when needed. He delivered some impressive throws, including a 52-yard pass on third down where he rolled out and made a quick, accurate throw to rookie WR Isaiah Bond.
Concern #2 – Arm Strength
If you want to play quarterback in the NFL, arm strength is a non-negotiable. Shedeur is a gifted passer but heading into his rookie season, many scouts felt that he lacked top-tier throwing power.
- NFL Debut: He may not have a rocket arm like Josh Allen, but Sanders showed that he has all the arm talent needed to succeed at this level. He made a number of explosive plays throughout the game, even when forced into deeper throws.
Concern #3 – Maturity Level
Pointing to his up-and-down record at Colorado and all the social media noise surrounding him, some questioned whether Shedeur possessed the maturity required to become a successful pro quarterback.
- NFL Debut: It may have been his first career start but Sanders looked nothing like a rookie on Sunday. He displayed great maturity in how he prepared for the game and relied on smart decision-making over flashy plays.
The Shedeur Era Has Officially Begun
He’ll always be tied to his father, but Sunday marked the first time that Shedeur stood up and made NFL fans take notice. He has all the talent needed to succeed in this league, now it’s timeto make a name for himself.
Currently +50000 to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, Sanders has his work cut out for him in Cleveland. Whether or not he’s the Browns’ quarterback of the future remains to be seen, but one thing’s for certain: he’s no longer just “Prime’s son.”