Shedeur Sanders is about to start his first NFL game. Well, not quite, but almost. Due to injuries to Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel, and what seems like a desire to preserve an aging Joe Flacco, the Cleveland Browns have named Shedeur as their starter for their preseason encounter on Friday night against the North Carolina Panthers.
Fans have been reacting to the news after the 2025 NFL Draft fifth-round pick spent most of the preseason training camp as the team’s QB4. One fan parodied what he thinks will be the reaction of African American stars to Shedeur’s Browns’ debut.
The tweet includes the following comment:
“Black Twitter on Friday night when Shedeur Sanders completes his first 8 yard slant route”
It accompanied a video of African American stars like Kanye West, Shaquille O’Neal, and Snoop Dogg going crazy in celebrations. Deion Sanders himself reacted to the joke, seemingly in good spirits:
“Hilarious! 🤣 😂😂😂😂😂😂” Coach Prime wrote.
Hilarious! 🤣 😂😂😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/cKAktxRIgr
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) August 6, 2025
The Browns are set to play the Panthers at Bank of America in Charlotte, at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Panthers are six-point favorites according to ESPN Bet.
Myles Garrett expects good things from Shedeur Sanders during the preseason game for Browns
Shedeur Sanders was the only quarterback through the first 10 days of preseason camp of the Cleveland Browns not to take a single snap of football with the first team offense. The nearest he has come to playing with the first team was leading the second team offense against the first team defense.
#Browns QB Shedeur Sanders is expected to start Friday night’s preseason opener on the road vs. the #Panthers with Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel both nursing hamstring injuries, source tells clevelanddotcom: —-> https://t.co/rGobOe9RtW
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 5, 2025
Mainly, he has played with the third team offense. Despite this, someone inside seems to be supportive of the quarterback ahead of the preseason: Defensive end Myles Garrett. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, he said:
“He’s funny, optimistic, light-hearted,” Garrett, a star defensive end, said of the QB. “But he works hard. He takes it seriously, his craft. And he’s watching what the others are doing. Doing it his own way in which only he can. Looking forward to seeing him during these preseason games and how he manages the offense. He looks good, but all the guys look good right now.”
The way the Browns have been dealing with their quarterbacks during the preseason has dumbfounded some analysts. Especially the fact that Dillon Gabriel seems to be taking priority over Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco for snaps with the first team offense.
Although reports are that the team’s coaching staff doesn’t consider either Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel ready to start in the NFL.
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