STWF Sports|Nov. 17, 2025 – The hype around Shedeur Sanders has never lived in the middle.
To many, he’s either the most disrespected rookie quarterback in NFL history…
or the most overhyped fifth-round pick ever to enter the league.

On Sunday in Baltimore, the debate finally received its first real test — and the result was a harsh reminder of how far Sanders still has to go.

A Debut That Fell Flat

Thrown into action after starter Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion, Sanders made his NFL debut in a 23–16 loss to the Ravens. The crowd in Cleveland roared when the rookie trotted out for his first drive.

Moments later, reality settled in.

Sanders finished 4-of-16 for 47 yards, absorbed two sacks for -27 yards, threw an interception, and posted a passer rating of 13.5. His QBR? 2.4.

It was the kind of performance that silenced no critics while validating every concern the Browns staff had expressed quietly all season.

“I don’t think I played good at all,” Sanders admitted afterward.
“We’ve got to look at a lot during the week… I’ve just got to get comfortable.”

To his credit, Sanders owned the performance. But that didn’t stop the immediate storm that followed.

No Middle Ground — Again

As with almost everything involving Sanders, social media erupted into two extremes:

Group A:
“This is a conspiracy! The Browns sabotaged him by not giving him reps with the starters!”

Group B:
“He holds the ball too long. He’s not ready. This is exactly what we warned you about.”

Never mind that NFL backup quarterbacks rarely practice with starters, and Sanders spent most of the season as Cleveland’s No. 3 quarterback. Or that his final preseason performance — 14 passing yards and five sacks — hinted at the same struggles.

Fans were determined to fight the battle they’d already chosen sides on.

“The excuses are already starting,” one fan tweeted.
“He’s just not ready,” another posted bluntly.

A Head Coach Caught in the Crossfire

Few people in the NFL have been caught in a more frustrating fan-created dilemma than Kevin Stefanski.

The Browns coach has been bombarded with questions about Sanders since May, even as the rookie struggled to climb the depth chart. But Stefanski stuck with Gabriel and Mason Rudolph until injuries forced Sanders into the fire.

Stefanski defended his rookie after the game:

“We trust all of our guys… He’ll want to do better, but that’s why we work.”

Still, privately and publicly, Cleveland’s actions have been consistent:
They don’t think Sanders is ready yet.

Sanders’ Talent Is Real — But So Are His Flaws

Sanders threw 64 touchdowns at Colorado, finished eighth in Heisman voting, and has the arm talent and athleticism to be an NFL quarterback someday.

But the same issues scouts flagged during the pre-draft process reappeared immediately in his debut:

• Holding the ball too long

• Taking unnecessary sacks

• Struggling with timing windows

• Hesitating on first read throws

• Slow processing under pressure

Against a Ravens defense that thrives on disguising looks, the results were predictable — and brutal.

Can He Rebound in Week 12?

With Gabriel’s status uncertain and Rodgers unavailable, Sanders is expected to start Week 12 against the rebuilding Raiders — one of the few teams struggling as much as Cleveland.

If he shines, he’ll earn the confidence his fans have been demanding.

If he struggles again, the noise will only get louder.

Sunday was not a referendum on Sanders’ career. It was a snapshot of a rookie who needs more development, more reps, and more time.

But make no mistake:

On Sunday, Shedeur Sanders was the worst quarterback in the NFL.

And the Browns — fairly or unfairly — saw exactly what they feared would happen the moment Gabriel went down.