Shedeur Sanders's NFL career got out to a hot start. Sure, it's just his first preseason game, but he still turned heads as he started the game for the Browns and played well into the third quarter.
On the night, he threw for 138 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, connecting on 14 of his 23 passing attempts. He rushed for 19 yards on four carries, too. An impressive showing for the rookie quarterback who fell to the fifth round after a dramatic slide in April's NFL draft, even if he didn't exactly share the same sentiment.
He acknowledged he "did some good, some bad" in Cleveland's 30-10 preseason win over the Panthers and even apologized to his father, Deion, after the performance. Although Sanders seemed to pick apart his own performance, he posted a grateful message to his X account following the game.
"Thank you GOD," he wrote.
Thank you GOD
— Shedeur Sanders (@ShedeurSanders) August 9, 2025
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski wouldn't comment on how the performance would impact his team's depth chart at QB. He did say that Sanders will see "a ton of reps" next week as well, though. He's part of a crowded QB room that also includes Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel. While Sanders isn't expected to start and is currently listed as a third-string QB under Gabriel on Cleveland's depth chart, the impressive outing and a continued strong preseason could improve his standing among the group.
After the exciting first game, the No. 144 pick in this year's draft is certainly thankful for the moment.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Shedeur Sanders Posted Grateful Three-Word Message After Strong Preseason Start.
