At the end of the season, the Cleveland Browns finished with only 5 wins in 2025, and decisions were immediate. Kevin Stefanski, who had been the team’s head coach since 2020, was fired after two losing seasons, mainly because he never solved the quarterback position, despite having one of the best defenses in the NFL.
Shedeur and Shilo Sanders turn heads at the Amiri fashion show
The biggest mistake of Kevin Stefanski, and also of the Browns’ still-current general manager Andrew Berry, occurred before the 2022 season, when they let Baker Mayfield go to sign Deshaun Watson to what was at the time the largest contract in history for a quarterback: $230 million over 5 years. The move has turned out to be a total failure.
While Baker Mayfield has found consistency in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Deshaun Watson has played only 19 games since signing that contract, and since Week 7 of the 2024 season, he has been out with a double Achilles tendon injury. In 2025, the Browns used three quarterbacks: Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders.
Shedeur Sanders steps up
During Kevin Stefanski’s era, the head coach used 13 quarterbacks, and interestingly, only one of them has been called to the Pro Bowl: Shedeur Sanders, who received the call as a replacement for Drake Maye, who will play in the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots for the AFC. The son of Deion Sanders was once again in the spotlight.
Interestingly, Shedeur Sanders was the last option for the Cleveland Browns at the start of the preseason; he was fourth, behind Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel. Sanders didn’t get a chance until Gabriel suffered a concussion in Week 10; from that moment, Shedeur didn’t relinquish the starting role.
Browns insiders reported that Sanders looked good but wasn’t being considered; it was even leaked that he never had repetitions with the first team until he was named starter before Week 11 on a visit to the Las Vegas Raiders, where he earned his first win as an NFL starter with a touchdown pass.
Although Shedeur Sanders wasn’t spectacular, he brought new energy to the Browns’ stagnant offense. In 7 starts, he threw for 1,400 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He usually started games strong but would fade as the game progressed, facing tough opponents like the Bills, Steelers, Bengals, and Bears-most of them playoff teams.
