Sanders stays as Browns’ starting quarterback for season

BEREA, Ohio — Rookie Shedeur Sanders will remain the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns’ final four games of the season, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Monday.

Sanders, the 144th overall pick in this year’s draft, started the previous three games. He is coming off the best game of his young career, accounting for 394 total yards and four touchdowns in the Browns’ 31-29 home loss to the Tennessee Titans. The defeat officially eliminated Cleveland from playoff contention.

«I think [Sanders] has constantly and consistently gotten better in each one of these games and how he’s approached this game,» Stefanski said. «He’s been working very hard. So, I feel good about where his development is heading. He knows there are always going to be plays that he can be better and those type of things, but he’s very intentional about getting better each and every game he’s out there.»

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Sanders, a son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado football coach Deion Sanders, began his career as the No. 4 quarterback on the depth chart in Cleveland. The Browns, though, traded veterans Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco, and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, who started six consecutive games, sustained a concussion against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11, paving the way for Sanders to make his first start.

Sanders became the first Browns quarterback since 1995 to win his first NFL start when he helped lead Cleveland to a 24-10 road victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12. The Browns are 1-2 in games that Sanders has started.

This season, Sanders has completed 52.4% of his passes (54-of-103) for 769 passing yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions. He has also rushed for 50 yards and one touchdown on eight carries.

Stefanski also announced Monday that starting center Ethan Pocic is out for the remainder of the season after tearing his Achilles against the Titans.

Pocic suffered the injury on the first play of the fourth quarter and left the field on the back of a cart. He was later ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Pocic is the third Browns starting offensive lineman in the past two games to be sidelined by injury; right tackle Jack Conklin missed Sunday’s game because of a concussion, and right guard Wyatt Teller did not play because of a calf injury. Teller will miss Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears, Stefanski said.

The Browns also lost starting tackle Dawand Jones to an LCL tear in his knee and a hamstring avulsion in Week 3.

Pocic, 30, has started 57 games for the Browns since joining the team as a free agent before the 2022 season. He’s one of four Week 1 starters on the offensive line who are not signed after the 2025 season, along with Conklin, Teller and left guard Joel Bitonio.

The Browns on Sunday used their eighth different starting offensive line combination this season and are set to use a ninth against the Chicago Bears in Week 15, with third-year player Luke Wypler taking the place of Pocic.