Shedeur Sanders finally saw the field as a rookie quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. And after being the most talked about third-string quarterback in NFL history, at least this side of Tim Tebow, it did not go well at all.
Sanders entered with the Browns leading the Baltimore Ravens. However, his debut was an abject failure. He was just 4-16 passing for 47 yards and one interception. Sanders led the Browns to zero points in the second half as Cleveland lost to the Ravens by a 23-16 scoreline.
There was always going to be a totally rational media reaction to the debut of Shedeur Sanders, no matter what he did. Some of his supporters in the media (like Josina Anderson) tried to find the dimmest of silver linings. Detractors (like Rex Ryan) tried to find ways beyond his play to slam him for a perceived lack of leadership.
But then there’s another category altogether that has existed ever since the Colorado prospect was drafted by the Browns, that there was somehow this grand conspiracy against him ever having success with the Browns and that he is being made an example of to preach some kind of message of humility? Maybe?
Enter Cam Newton.
On Monday’s episode of First Take, Newton highlighted Shedeur’s lack of practice reps as evidence that Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski doesn’t want him to succeed.
Cam Newton: “I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: I do not think Kevin Stefanski wants Shedeur Sanders to succeed in Cleveland… if I’m Shedeur or I’m a Shedeur Sanders fan, I would not want him to take the field. Because that’s going to consistently be the display we’re going to see.”
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Newton’s first point makes sense. The Browns do not have a competitive roster and it’s not a great situation for any rookie quarterback to step into. But his second point is where even other famous backup quarterbacks like Chase Daniel and Luke McCown have said that it’s commonplace to not give backups practice reps so that the starters can have all the preparation necessary. Instead, it’s common for them to get scout team reps, where they are focused on getting the defense ready. That’s why they have maintained that the backup quarterback position is one of the most difficult and challenging in sports.
It’s always been a bizarre take that there was some kind of vast conspiracy against Shedeur Sanders within the Cleveland Browns organization. It would make no sense to waste a draft pick, no matter which round it is in, to then stack the deck against someone to fail. It somehow makes even less than zero sense knowing that there was going to be a real scenario where Shedeur Sanders had to take the field this year.
Whatever beyond that is the train of thought that Kevin Stefanski would tank his own job prospects as an NFL head coach just to prove a point to Shedeur, Deion, Cam Newton, or anyone else. Stefanski is on the hot seat in Cleveland as the franchise sadly is staring at another reset and rebuild. Why he would intentionally set up one of his last chances at success to fail seems counter-intuitive… but this is the Browns we’re talking about after all, so maybe anything is possible.
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