Browns QB Shedeur Sanders grateful for tumultuous rookie season: 'I feel bulletproof'

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders feels unbreakable after surviving a chaotic rookie season. 

The QB slid to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, in which the Browns selected him with the 144th pick. He subsequently began the season as QB4 and didn't receive his first start until Week 12. Sanders, however, isn't bitter about the early obstacles. 

Shedeur Sanders discusses overcoming adversity in his rookie season

"I'm thankful everything happened how it happened," Sanders told the media at the beginning of Browns voluntary minicamp on Tuesday. "I'm thankful that my appreciation for a lot of things is what it is now. 

"I'm just happy, I'm thankful. I'm blessed," he continued. "I was in a position to where I can handle everything that comes my way. So, now I feel bulletproof." 

Sanders may be feeling invincible, but he must prove he deserves the starting job after failing to solidify himself as QB1 during his rookie season. In eight games, the QB completed 120-of-212 passes (56.6 percent, well below the league average) for 1,400 yards and tossed seven touchdown passes and 10 interceptions. He went 3-4 as a starter. 

After finishing 5-12, Cleveland fired head coach Kevin Stefanski and replaced him with Todd Monken. The former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator is clearly willing to give the QB a chance to win the starting job. He gave him more first-team reps than QB Deshaun Watson during Tuesday's practice. The coach added all of Cleveland's QBs (Sanders, Watson and Dillon Gabriel) will get a chance to win the starting job. 

"Coach Monken is great. And all the other coaches on the staff are extremely great," Sanders said. "You've got to understand they embrace you just as a person, and then they push you each and every day, in the meeting room and on the field, in the weight room. Like, it's a new vibe." 

Sanders and company hope the coaching change produces better vibes next season. They would feel even sweeter for the QB after he endured a rookie season that was anything but ideal.