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Shedeur Sanders made a terrific impression despite losing.
The young signal caller couldn’t lead the Browns to victory Sunday, but he did enough to convince some, including Bill Cowher, that he should be their quarterback of the future.
The former Steelers coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer delivered a strong endorsement of Sanders following Cleveland’s 23-22 overtime loss to the Saints on the road.
“Shedeur Sanders should be the starter for this football team. He’s gonna be the future,” Bill Cowher said on CBS’ postgame show.
Cowher praised Sanders’ ability to overcome a slow start and ultimately put Cleveland in position to win.
“What he showed today with his resiliency and continuing to come back, making great decisions, extending plays … I loved the way he played and continued to move forward,” Cowher said.
Sanders finished 19 of 31 passing for 297 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in his first start of the season, helping Cleveland overcome a sluggish first half before nearly pulling off the overtime victory.
The second-year quarterback threw for just 38 yards before halftime but finished much better.
Sanders made a tough throw to rookie KC Concepcion for a 64-yard touchdown pass that gave Cleveland a 13-9 lead with 5:21 remaining in regulation.
Concepcion called Sanders a “gamechanger” after the game.
After New Orleans reclaimed the lead, Sanders helped set up Andre Szmyt’s 51-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining, sending the game into overtime.
The Saints scored first in the extra period, but Sanders responded with a 39-yard touchdown pass to Harold Fannin Jr.
Browns coach Todd Monken chose to attempt a two-point conversion to win, but Sanders’ pass fell incomplete, ending Cleveland’s comeback attempt.
“I’m really proud of him,” Monken said after the game. “How hard he’s worked since I’ve been here. He wasn’t perfect. I wasn’t perfect. But for a guy that really hasn’t taken snaps with the [other starters] in 10 weeks … to come in there and continue to battle.”
Sanders got the starting nod after Deshaun Watson entered concussion protocol following Cleveland’s loss to Pittsburgh.
Although Watson cleared protocol Saturday, he remained inactive Sunday.
Sanders would not bite when asked by reporters if he should start next week, saying, “I control what I can control.”
The former Colorado standout was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and started seven games as a rookie, throwing seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Watson has started Cleveland’s other eight games this season, leading the Browns to a 5-3 record prior to today’s loss.
