Shedeur Sanders entered his first NFL regular-season game at halftime of the Cleveland Browns' Week 11 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, replacing Dillon Gabriel who exited with a concussion. Sanders completed his first two passes but later threw an interception. The Browns led 16-10 at halftime.
Shedeur Sanders, the former Colorado quarterback selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, made his professional debut in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens. Sanders, the 144th overall pick and the sixth quarterback taken in the draft, came in after starter Dillon Gabriel did not return from the locker room at halftime due to a concussion. Gabriel had been ruled questionable before being officially ruled out.
Receiving a hero's welcome in Cleveland, Sanders quickly made his mark by completing his first NFL pass, a 5-yard completion to wide receiver Cedric Tillman. His second pass was a 7-yard throw to tight end David Njoku. However, on third down, Sanders took a sack and fumbled, though a teammate recovered the ball. Later, on his second drive, Sanders threw an interception picked off by Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins.
The Browns had opened the season with Joe Flacco as starter before trading him to the Bengals, with Gabriel taking over since. At Colorado, Sanders was a record-setting quarterback but slipped in the draft. The Browns also selected Gabriel in the third round, 94th overall.
Game highlights included Browns kicker Andre Szmyt's third field goal to extend the lead to 16-10 at halftime. Defensive efforts featured multiple sacks by Myles Garrett on Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, including his 12th of the 2025 season, marking six straight years with at least 12 sacks—a league record. Other notable plays saw Sanders connect on a 25-yard strike to tight end Harold Fannin Jr. and scramble for a 5-yard first down.