‘Different perspective’ – Shedeur Sanders explains reason behind surprising Pro Bowl nod

In the wake of a polarizing rookie season that saw more interceptions than touchdowns, Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders finds himself in San Francisco this week for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games.

His inclusion, fueled by a rash of AFC opt-outs and his massive social media following, has sparked a firestorm of criticism regarding the current state of the NFL’s all-star event.

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However, while detractors point to his seven touchdowns against 10 interceptions, a 56.6% completion rate, and a league-leading interception percentage as proof of a broken system, Sanders views his path to the Pro Bowl through a very different lens.

For Sanders, the “reason” he belongs on the roster isn’t found in a box score, but in the mental shift he underwent after being drafted in the fifth round and relegated to the bottom of the depth chart last summer.

Sanders said he’s appreciative of everything his rookie year brought his way, noting that the opportunity to finish the season with a Pro Bowl nod made the experience even more meaningful.

“I’ve already gained (a lot) here (just) talking to a lot of great players, seeing Joe Flacco again, just meeting people,” Sanders said. “It’s a great environment. I’m excited to be here.

“This (whole) year is my introduction to life in a different perspective, so I was thankful for it. I was thankful that everything happened how it happened because it helped me out as a person.”

That perspective was forged during a grueling summer and autumn in Cleveland.

Sanders began the year as the third or even fourth option, watching from the sidelines as veteran Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel took the initial snaps.

Rather than becoming a distraction, Sanders claims he found “the joy and the fun” in running the scout team—a role he hadn’t occupied since his early college days during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You going out there against the first defense and you out there with a chip,” Sanders said back in August. “I feel like all that stuff is fun and you just got to make the best of any situation you in.”

When injuries finally thrust him into the starting role in Week 11, Sanders managed to lead the Browns to three victories, including a signature upset over the playoff-bound Pittsburgh Steelers.

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To Sanders, those three wins and the “mental, physical, and emotional” growth he achieved while navigating a messy 5-12 season are what earned him the respect of his teammates and coaches.

While Sanders’ stats hardly scream Pro Bowler, Cleveland did manage to win three of his seven starts, closing the season with back-to-back victories.

It’s no secret that his Pro Bowl invitation came unexpectedly, even for the man himself.

The rookie said he was sitting in an airport last week, waiting out a delayed flight, when he received the call extending his rookie season by a few more days. He said he “couldn’t wait” to get to San Francisco.

His selection followed season-ending injuries to three AFC quarterbacks and Trevor Lawrence’s decision to opt out.

Veteran Joe Flacco was also added to the Pro Bowl roster last week, though his selection came after Sanders had already accepted. It marks the first Pro Bowl appearance of Flacco’s career; he previously turned down an invitation in 2015 due to the birth of his third child.

Sanders joked that it was fun crossing paths with Flacco again, saying that the veteran was still rocking “the same sweatpants he wore at practice.” Flacco, 41, opened last season as Cleveland’s starter for the first four games before being dealt to the Cincinnati Bengals in early October.

Flacco said the reunion brought back memories from earlier in the year, when the quarterback room skewed noticeably young.

“All these guys are so young — and Shedeur is one of those, but it was cool to get to share a room with him early in the year,”Flacco said.

“And it’s cool that it kind of comes full circle and we’re back here together.”

For Sanders and the Browns, 2026 won’t look anything like 2025.

Cleveland turned the page organizationally, dismissing Kevin Stefanski and hiring former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as the franchise’s new head coach.

While Sanders is far from assured the starting job heading into 2026, he enters the offseason firmly in the conversation and with a legitimate chance to be first in line when camp opens.

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