Browns HC Kevin Stefanski expands on surprising admission about QB Shedeur Sanders

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders looked like he had never played with the first-team offense in his first NFL action in Week 11. It turns out he never had. 

Following Cleveland's 23-16 home loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, head coach Kevin Stefanski admitted Sanders had no reps with the starting offense throughout the season. That was apparent after the former Colorado Buffaloes star replaced fellow rookie QB Dillon Gabriel, who suffered a concussion in the first half.

Sanders went 4-of-16 passing for 47 yards and one interception. Why didn't Stefanski better prepare him to play in case Gabriel suffered an injury? 

Kevin Stefanski expands on the lack of first-team reps for Shedeur Sanders 

On Monday, Stefanski explained that not giving Sanders reps wasn't an attempt to sabotage him. He's simply more focused on preparing the starting QB. 

"The starter gets the vast majority [of reps], obviously, if not the entire majority," the coach said (h/t Nick Pedone of Browns on SI). "We trust our players. Shedeur is putting in great work on the field, in the meeting room. He'll be better with the reps that he's getting."

Luke McCown, a journeyman QB who spent 13 seasons in the NFL, defended Stefanski in an X post. The 106th pick of the 2004 NFL Draft wrote that backups and mid-round picks only receive reps with the first team if they're competing for the starting job in training camp or starting a preseason game. Sanders (pick No. 144 of the 2025 draft) began training camp as QB4.