Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders is officially Pro Bowl-bound.
The Browns made the rookie’s Pro Bowl nod official on Tuesday, announcing that he’ll be joining Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward at the Pro Bowl Games during Super Bowl LX Week in the San Francisco Bay Area.
“Perfect timing for Pro Bowl next week!” the team said in a social media post. “Shedeur is headed to SF!”
Sanders is the first Browns quarterback to make the Pro Bowl since Derek Anderson in 2007. He broke his silence on the selection with a statement.
“Thank you God. I’m beyond excited and extremely grateful for all the love and support from the coaches, players, and fans,” Sanders said in a statement. “This wouldn’t be possible without the support behind me. Still plenty of work to do.”
The Browns turned in an impressive rookie class, but Sanders will be the lone first-year player representing Cleveland in the Pro Bowl. That’s not for a lack of impact elsewhere. Rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger is a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year, while tight end Harold Fannin delivered a breakout debut season, leading the team with 72 receptions for 731 yards and six touchdowns.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders’ Pro Bowl Selection Stirs Drama
Sanders selection as one of three quarterbacks from the AFC has been highly criticized. He’ll take the place of New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who will play in the Super Bowl. Maye, Josh Allen and Justin Herbert were the original three passers selected as Pro Bowlers.
Potential replacements Bo Nix, Patrick Mahomes and Daniel Jones are all injured, which is part of the reason the selection trickled down to Sanders. Trevor Lawrence, Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow are healthy, but it’s unknown if they turned down the opportunity.
Sanders took over as Cleveland’s starter for the final seven games of the season, making his first career start in Week 12 against the Las Vegas Raiders. He became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his debut start since Eric Zeier in 1995.
Sanders finished his rookie campaign completing 120 of 212 passes for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns, while throwing 10 interceptions and taking 23 sacks.
“Objectively, and the keyword here is objectively. This is patently ridiculous. In what universe does a quarterback with a QBR rating of 18.9 out of 100, who threw more interceptions than touchdowns and completed 57% of his passes a pro bowl player?” longtime NFL voice Trey Wingo said on X. “Take the name away and look at the numbers and no one would say that’s a Pro Bowl season.”
Shedeur Sanders Future With Browns in Question
Sanders is a Pro Bowler, but his place as the starter in Cleveland is a question moving forward. The Browns are looking for their next head coach, who will have a say on who will be the starting quarterback next season.
As it stands, the Browns will have Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Deshaun Watson under contract next season. However, the team is expected to explore all its options this offseason.
“I think we saw a lot of progress with Shedeur this year. I think that’s both mentally, physically, playing the position. He’s still very much a work in progress like many rookie quarterbacks are,” Browns GM Andrew Berry said. “Now that all being said, we’re going to do our work on the quarterback market. It’s too important of a position and it’s something that has to be solidified. I can’t sit here and tell you today, you know, whether the solution for or the starter in 2026 is internal or external. But it’s something that we’re going to work through over the next several weeks. And quite honestly, the new head coach will also have a lot of input into that as well.”
The Browns are in the final stages of their coaching search. Current defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken and Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase are the finalists.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Breaks Silence on Controversial Pro Bowl Nod