The Cleveland Browns gave NFL fans what they wanted on Friday night during their preseason opener: Shedeur Sanders taking the field as the starting quarterback in his first NFL game. Sanders has faced a fair share of criticism, but his performance on Friday silenced many doubters.
“Starters came out by this point, but before this he still looked calm and in command. Was taking with the defense gave him, was on time and accurate. Had a few plays he wished that he had back but he’s playing with third and fourth string guys against 1’s and 2’s. Solid,” former NFL QB Kurt Benkert wrote.
Sanders impressed in his debut, especially through the air. He threw two touchdown passes and looked poised in the pocket — a promising performance that thrilled his supporters.
“Sanders had 138 passing yards and two passing touchdowns, as well as picking up 19 rushing yards on four attempts. Sanders completed 14 of his 23 passes,” wrote ClevelandBrowns.com’s Noah Monroe.
His strong outing even prompted Nike to release a new ad, warning the NFL that Sanders is on the rise. With Friday’s performance, it’s likely he turned some heads inside the Browns organization.
After the game, Sanders encountered Cleveland analyst Toni Rossi in the tunnel. Rossi has been a vocal critic of Sanders in the media, and the rookie decided to speak up.
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“You always say negative stuff about me. I didn’t do nothing to you. I’ve never seen you say anything positive about me,” Sanders told Rossi.
The exchange reportedly ended with laughter, but it’s clear Sanders took note of Rossi’s remarks. Perhaps the interaction will shift Rossi’s tone going forward. Either way, it shows that Sanders isn’t afraid to confront his critics — on or off the field.