Shedeur Sanders wasn’t lacking in confidence heading into his first NFL start.
Sanders met with his Hall of Fame father Deion Sanders prior to the Browns’ game against the Raiders on Sunday afternoon, and embodied his dad’s famed confidence as he took the field.
By filling in for injured starter Dillon Gabriel, Sanders becomes the Browns’ 42nd quarterback since the franchise returned to the NFL in 1999. He intends to last longer than his predecessors.
CBS Sports reporter Tiffany Blackmon asked Sanders before the game what he hoped to show in his first start. Sanders replied sharply, “I’m who they been lookin’ for.”
What does Shedeur Sanders hope to show teammates and Browns fans today?
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 23, 2025
"I'm who they been lookin' for"
🎙️ @tiffblackmon pic.twitter.com/15pbdjWMwD
Sanders saw his first NFL action a week ago in the second half of the Browns’ loss to the Ravens, and it was ugly. Sanders completed just four of 16 pass attempts for 47 yards and an interception. Despite a rough start to his career, Sanders felt self-assured entering his first career start, telling Blackmon he felt “cool, calm and collected.”
The Browns have infamously dealt with quarterback woes since going back to before Sanders was born. Due to Cleveland trading Joe Flacco and the injury to Gabriel, Sanders is now making his much-anticipated debut. Gabriel will become the Browns’ starter again when he is cleared to return from concussion protocol, but this start gives Sanders a chance to show if he could be “the guy” one day. Going against a struggling Raiders team should only help his case.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Shedeur Sanders Had Six-Word Message for Browns Fans Right Before First Start.
