Shedeur Sanders Discusses Where He's Improved the Most as QB In NFL Rookie Season

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders says he's developed a better "feeling" for the NFL since making his regular-season debut in Week 11.

Sanders spoke about his development when asked during a Tuesday press conference what part of his game has grown the most since first seeing action on Nov. 16 against the Baltimore Ravens.

"I don't want to give you the typical answer of, of course mentally," Sanders said. "But I would say I improved experience. I improved being in situations, and understanding that feeling. And I think those are all building blocks to be able to have success. I think sometimes you have to fail in certain areas."

Sanders continued, "When I look back today, and I look back at everything, I'm super appreciative that everything happened how it happened. Going out there first to a great defense like the Ravens, and not playing my best, but at the same time, that last drive, that's when I felt comfortable.

"That's when I knew I could get back to being myself. That's when I could feel. So, I think everything's about feeling, and I'm thankful that I have that feeling."

Sanders is preparing to start his sixth consecutive game when the Browns take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Week 17 home contest this Sunday.

Sanders won his first NFL start, a 24-10 victory over a struggling Las Vegas Raiders team in Week 12.

After a blowout by the San Francisco 49ers and a close loss to the Tennessee Titans over the next two weeks, Stefanski named Sanders the starter for the rest of the season ahead of Week 15.

Stefanski said when confirming Sanders' QB1 status on Dec. 8 he felt the rookie had "constantly and consistently gotten better in each one of these games."

"He's been working very hard, so I feel good about where his development is heading," Stefanski said. "He knows there are always going to be plays that he can better, and those type of things, but he's very intentional about getting better each and every game he's out there."

The Browns have lost two more games since then, starting with a 31-3 blowout by the Chicago Bears.

Cleveland lost again on this past Sunday to the Buffalo Bills, although Sanders showed some growth while taking on one of the league's best passing defenses.

Sanders took an average of 2.89 seconds to throw against the Bills, his lowest average time to throw of the season, per NFL Next Gen Stats cited by ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi.

Stefanski said after the game he was "proud" of Sanders for battling through the game a brief exit to receive medial attention for a finger injury.

Whether Sanders is able to continue showing improvement over the Browns' final two games of the season could ultimately impact his franchise's approach to the 2026 NFL draft. Cleveland is currently projected to hold the No. 3 pick, per Tankathon, and will need to decide whether to use that selection on a quarterback.