Shedeur Sanders could only laugh after hearing his brother Shilo’s plea to join the Cleveland Browns during Thanksgiving.
Sanders will make his second straight start on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, entering a pivotal stretch after steadily climbing the Browns’ depth chart. The rookie made the most of his first opportunity last week, throwing for 209 yards in a 24-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
If Sanders keeps trending upward, he could strengthen his case to remain Cleveland’s long-term answer at quarterback. His brother, Shilo, is rooting for that outcome — and hoping Shedeur gains enough traction in the locker room to campaign for him to join the Browns as well. Shilo played with Shedeur at Colorado but went undrafted. He spent part of the preseason with the Tampa Buccaneers before being released. He has not been able to catch on with a team since.
“Lord, please allow Shedeur to do his best so he can pull some strings and get me on the Browns too,” Shilo said during his Thanksgiving prayer.
Shilo also asked for No. 21, which drew a response from Shedeur.
“That’s Denzel Ward…21 gone bro”
“Nevermind 28 will do”
Shedeur & Shilo are pure comedy
“Bro, that’s Denzel Ward. He’s a franchise player,” Shedeur said. “No. 21 is gone bro.”
Shilo responded, “Never mind. No. 28 will do. Thank you very much Lord.”
Browns Willing to Give Shedeur Sanders Extended Look
Sanders showed enough in his debut to warrant a longer look as the Browns’ starter. Kevin Stefanski stopped short of naming him the QB1 for the rest of the year, but there’s a growing sense inside the building that Cleveland wants to give the rookie every chance to prove he can be a long-term answer — and Sunday’s performance will go a long way in determining that.
“Sanders now has the opportunity not only to start again Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers but also to play well enough to continue earning starts for the rest of this season,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said. “The Browns are open to giving Sanders an extended look for the rest of this season, just as fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel got in the first half of this season, sources told ESPN. But much of that decision will be dictated by how Sanders plays, starting Sunday.”
Sanders will need to deliver something special down the stretch. Cleveland owns two first-round picks in the upcoming draft, positioning the Browns to target one of the top quarterback prospects if he can’t solidify himself as the long-term answer.
Shedeur Sanders, Browns to Face Difficult Conditions
The conditions in Cleveland on Sunday are not expected to be favorable for Sanders and the offense. Wind, rain and snow are all expected for the matchup against the 49ers. It will likely limit how many passes Sanders will throw, but the Browns are not overly concerned about how he’ll handle it.
“Yeah, he played in Colorado. That’s a lot of wind that you’re going to get,” Stefanski said. “You’re going to get all sorts of weather. So he’s good to go.”
Luckily, the Browns have one of the best defenses in the league, headlined by Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Myles Garrett. Sanders and the offense will just have to find a way to overcome the conditions and put up some points against an 8-4 San Francisco squad.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Has Blunt Response to Brother’s Push to Join Team