Shedeur Sanders makes mockery of third-string status with less than two games to outshine Dillon Gabriel

Shedeur Sanders is already making the men who started the season ahead of him a forgotten memory.

The rookie quarterback made his first home start for the Cleveland Browns against the San Francisco 49ers and produced another highlight-reel touchdown.

Sanders expertly read the defense and found tight end Harold Fannin for a long-range score.

It was his fourth completion of 30-plus yards in just his second start and left LeBron James among those who are rooting for the news Browns QB1.

“Helluva read and pass 12! Keep going,” the Lakers star posted on X.

Joe Flacco had just two in four starts and Dillon Gabriel had zero in his six games as No. 1.

Sanders even had Pittsburgh Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw rooting for him.

“I’m a Steeler through-and-through. I love my Steelers and I loved beating Cleveland when I played there,” Bradshaw said.

“But I’m pulling for Shedeur Sanders. They have been through four No. 1 quarterbacks drafted, not to mention [Deshaun] Watson who they brought over, and none of them have worked. None of them.

“So I’m saying to Cleveland – I hope this is your answer… This guy, last week, did things that were impressive. He had that ‘it’ factor… handled the Blitz well, handled it all well.”

Sanders has had to bide his time

The 23-year-old finally got his opportunity to take to the field after fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel was unable to return to action in the second half of their 23-16 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11.

Despite a poor performance on debut, in which he threw an interception on his second ever drive, before finishing the game having thrown 4-of-16 for 47 yards, it was later revealed that his game reps were his first ever with the first team offense.

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The plan from head coach Kevin Stefanski was to redshirt Sanders’ rookie campaign, but with Gabriel having been unable to clear concussion protocol, he was inserted in the lineup for their road trip to the Las Vegas Raiders.

There, he made history by becoming the first quarterback since the franchise’s reactivation in 1999 to win on his first start, throwing 209 yards for a touchdown, though he also fired an interception.

But Sanders impressed the Browns coaching staff enough in his first career start that they have since entrusted him to be their QB1 going forward and Stefasnki is willing to give him time, despite previously being non-committal.

“Very committed to working at it, doing a great job, communicating with coaches, with the players,” Stefanski told reporters on Friday.

“Good work week, but nothing different. I think any player, though, once you get one game under your belt, you got the next one coming. I think it can only help.”

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