Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) watches quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during day two of NFL rookie minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Browns' Shedeur Sanders Reveals First Thoughts on QB Room

Originally posted on Cleveland Browns on SI
By Spencer German | Last updated May 21, 2025 12:20 PM ET

Shedeur Sanders joined the Cleveland Browns as a fifth-round pick last month, having already established himself as a star.

As he prepares for the team's open competition at quarterback, however, and his first season in the NFL, it's been made clear that he has to earn his role with the team. While Sanders and his QB comrades will be highly scrutinized as they duke it out for the starting job in the weeks and months ahead, Sanders opened up about the dynamics of the Browns' QB room.

As he expressed during an interview with Kay Adams, it's not as intense between the fierce competitors as some may think.

"We all different characters," said Sanders. "It's funny going there and see Joe [Flacco] every day."

Sanders seems to have a particular affinity for the Super Bowl champion, something Adams encouraged him to elaborate on.

"At practice, I'm like, 'wow, I'm really with Joe Flacco right now.' We're on the same team!," Sanders said with a laugh. "...It's just so funny he's in there and we're on the same team."

Shedeur Sanders breaks down the @Browns QB room.

Loves Flacco.@PaniniAmerica @ShedeurSanders pic.twitter.com/lkIvKDyNd6
— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) May 21, 2025

While Sanders seems to get a kick out of sharing a room with Flacco, he noted that other members of the group, like Kenny Pickett and even Deshaun Watson have been welcoming to him and Gabriel as rookies. Even as Watson continues rehabbing from a ruptured Achilles, he is involved in the position meetings with the group.

It's certainly good news that the group is hitting it off, but only one of the signal callers can eventually emerge as the team's starter this fall. The competition is bound to breed plenty of criticism and comparison between the quartet of QBs. As Sanders explained, though, they don't plan on letting it pull them apart.

"Outside of the room people try to put us against each other, but inside the room, we know we one," added Sanders.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Browns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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