After a lot of talk, Shedeur Sanders finally made his NFL debut on Friday, starting the game against the Carolina Panthers for the Cleveland Browns’ season opener. Sanders had a lot to prove ahead of the game, especially as he was ranked the lowest among the QB1 candidates. He also received a lot of criticism from analysts, especially as fans have been loud in wanting him to be QB1.
After all was said and done, he had an impressive debut, completing 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdown passes, leading Cleveland to a 30-10 win over Carolina. This has his dad, Deion Sanders (worth $60 million as per Celebrity Net Worth), hitting back at critics, most of whom slammed him after his draft slide to the fifth round.
“Oh yeah what now! #CoachPrime,” Coach Prime tweeted.
Oh yeah what now! #CoachPrime
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) August 9, 2025
The elder Sanders was not present during his son’s debut game on Friday, as he was busy preparing the Colorado Buffaloes for the 2025 season over at Boulder. He made sure not to visit his sons as they prepared for their respective NFL teams, as it would provide a distraction for them, especially with Shedeur being in the middle of a big race to determine Cleveland’s starting quarterback.
Sanders was ranked fourth in Cleveland’s quarterback depth rankings, with Joe Flacco being ranked first, followed by Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel, respectively. Given Pickett’s precarious injury status, Flacco is seen by analysts as the probable QB1 for the season. However, Sanders’ performance on Friday could change opinions about him leading the Browns this season.
Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski Comments on Shedeur Sanders’ Debut Performance
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski may be cycling his quarterbacks during the preseason to see how well they do in an actual game. He spoke with reporters after the game and was asked if Shedeur Sanders would get more reps after such a good performance, with him saying that it is too early to tell.
“I’m honestly not focused there,” the coach told reporters. “I think the guys need to continue to earn their roles. That’s what these guys are doing.”
Sanders went hot in the second quarter after a slow start in the first, with the former Buffaloes star firing an impressive seven-yard touchdown throw between two defenders to tie the game. He threw another big touchdown pass a few moments later, finding Kaden Davis for a 12-yard touchdown, handing the browns the lead. They would eventually pull away to win the game.
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