Week 18 has blessedly arrived for the Browns, who will likely be very happy to put what has been a trying year–they’re 4-12–behind them. While the game matters little in the standings, it could be meaningful nonetheless, certainly for linebacker Myles Garrett as he chases the all-time NFL sacks record, but also for quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who will make his seventh start as he tries to prove he can handle the job going into the 2026 season.
While it is his final audition this year, the truth is, this start is not likely to make or break Sanders’ fate–he is not going to surely win the job if he plays great on Sunday, nor will he lose the job if he struggles. Sanders will have an exit interview with the team on Monday, and there’s no chance the team hands him the job in that interview.
In fact, according to Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, there are multiple layers to the Sanders decision, and the timeline won’t necessarily be smooth.
Browns’ Coaching Choice a Big Factor for Shedeur Sanders
Writing on Saturday, Cabot noted that the team will take time in January to independently and coldly examine Sanders’ performance, “after they’re removed from the emotion of the season,” as she put it. But that won’t be done in a vacuum, because the Browns also have a coaching decision to make, and that’s multi-layered, too. It’s likely that head coach Kevin Stefanski is gone, so whomever the Browns hire to replace him would have to bring an offense that jibes with Sanders’ skillset.
And what if the Browns remove Stefanski, but keep his assistants in place, maybe by promoting defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to the head job?
“If they part ways with Stefanski, and it appears to be trending that way, but stick with offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, Sanders might have a decent shot at the job based on the progress he made in his seven starts this season and the familiarity he has with Rees and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave,” Cabot wrote.
GettyThe Cleveland Browns are leaning in the direction of firing Kevin Stefanski.
Other Factors Will Weigh on Browns Decision
It’s possible that the Browns get their coaching staff set up in the coming weeks and make a commitment to Sanders as part of the process.
But even settling the coaching staff might not be enough to set Sanders’ fate with the Browns. The team will have a top-seven pick in the draft, and also have the Jaguars‘ pick in the 20s. They will need to see which quarterbacks declare for the NFL draft, in a year in which the QB class is notably weak, and determine if there’s anyone they want.
Other factors, like free agency and the health of Deshaun Watson, will play a role, too.
Shedeur Sanders Rated no. 40 out of 40 QBs in NFL
Sanders has thrown for 1,289 yards this season, with a 57.4% completion rate and seven touchdowns to go with 10 interceptions. He has led Cleveland to two of its four wins this year. He has an overall grade of 48.0 at Pro Football Focus, which means he rates No. 40 out of 40 graded quarterbacks.
Sanders said he is not that concerned how he is viewed from the outside: “I can’t think about what other people’s opinion or what they view me as. I know the teams that we go against, I know they definitely respect me in a passing game, for sure, but I can’t be accountable for somebody else’s decisions.”
Browns Timeline for Shedeur Sanders Future Decision Outlined