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The 2025 NFL season hasn’t been the ideal start for Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Things started rough with Dillon Gabriel taking the QB spot. Then, to make matters worse, the Browns added Sanders to their injury report after Week 7, listing him as questionable for the next game due to a back issue, which ultimately ruled him inactive for the Week 8 game against the Patriots. But irrespective of all odds, Browns legendary QB Bernie Kosar is still in Shedeur’s favor to be the QB for the team. “When Shedeur gets his chance, the stuff people were worried about, he fires me up. It’s a personnel issue too,” Kosar said while speaking at the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show this weekend. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad As the Browns head into their Week 9 bye, Sanders made a dedicated choice: he confirmed he would not be returning to Colorado for homecoming. Instead, he’s staying in Cleveland to focus on his recovery and training. He backed this up recently by sharing a photo of the training ground on his Instagram story (which he later deleted), suggesting he’s keeping his word and working hard. This decision might puzzle some fans. Why give up time with family and friends during the bye week when you’re hurt? But for a developing player, this kind of commitment is essential. Staying put ensures he maintains mental readiness and is fully prepared for when he gets physically healthy and potentially earns the call-up to play the position in the future. It’s a crucial step in a young player’s development. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Shedeur Sanders awaits an opportunity to play as the Browns’ QB Rookie QB was a steal for the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the draft, adding an electric, developmental piece to a quarterback room that has seen its fair share of turmoil this season. Yet, despite his steady rise on the depth chart, the team has been hesitant to give him any meaningful playing time this season. Sanders is still awaiting his first official snap in the 2025 NFL season. Analyzing the team’s current QB’s game play, Dillon Gabriel took over the starting role (after the benching and subsequent trade of Joe Flacco), and the offense hasn’t shown much difference. In Gabriel’s four starts, the team is averaging a modest 17.5 points, only a slight improvement from the 14 points per game posted during Flacco’s tenure. Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports Even though Sanders is currently sidelined because of his injury, when asked about his readiness for his position on the team during a live stream, he said; ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad “I got treatment out here. I gotta get ready. Big ready.” This dedication is exactly why Sanders opted to stay in Cleveland over the bye week. Even though there have been speculations about the player moving to some other team, like the Jets, he has clarified that he hasn’t been thinking about a trade as of now. All he is focused on as of now is to work hard in silence so that he can deliver promising results to his team.
