Shedeur Sanders was electrifying in his first NFL start. He wasn’t perfect, but no rookie should ever be expected to be perfect, especially after just one week of first-team practice.
Still, Shedeur Sanders delivered a few blockbuster throws that instantly made the team, and the fans, believe he might be the future in Cleveland.
But here’s the real question: Will Shedeur Sanders start vs. the 49ers? Kevin Stefanski was firm before the game, saying Dillon Gabriel would return as soon as he cleared concussion protocol.
The problem? No one knows if that will happen before the 49ers matchup. Meanwhile, NFL analysts like Ryan Clark, Emmanuel Acho, and others insist Shedeur has earned another start in the league.
Why NFL Analysts Root for Shedeur Sanders to Start
NFL analysts across the country are lining up behind one message: Shedeur Sanders deserves another start for the Cleveland Browns. And they aren’t saying it for hype. They’re pointing to the energy, precision, and leadership Shedeur delivered the moment he stepped on the field.
Ryan Clark led the charge with a passionate post on X:
“Shedeur Sanders earned the right to start next week. He earned the right to prove one way or another if he can be the guy. There were plays made today that we haven’t seen in weeks for the @Browns. There was excitement, there was hope, & there was a W! Hell, even the best player in the world smiled today… good for you @Flash_Garrett.”
In the attached video, Clark doubled down, saying, “Today, you saw excitement and hope, and belief that you hadn’t seen in the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback or offense this entire year… You saw Myles Garrett get excited.”
He followed up by stating that what Shedeur displayed on the field “earned him another start, earned him the right to show that he could be the guy for the Cleveland Browns.”
Clark acknowledged Shedeur wasn’t flawless, it was his first time working with the full first-team unit, but insisted that what he did “shows that he belongs as the starter for next week.”
Emmanuel Acho backed that sentiment with equal conviction.
“Shedeur Sanders has to be the starter for the Cleveland Browns moving forward, not because of what Emanuel Acho thinks, it’s because of how Myles Garrett reacted,” he said.
Acho highlighted Garrett’s authentic response, explaining,
“Myles Garrett facial expression to that Shedeur Sanders said, ‘I ain’t see it like this before, and at minimum, I’ve forgotten ever seen it before, and I need to see it again’.”
He continued, “Here’s why Shedeur Sanders has to start… because his team, and his defense believes in him.” Acho went even deeper, saying that Myles Garrett, a generational superstar, believes in Shedeur. And, “As Shedeur go, Myles go, this team will go.”
Maurice Jones-Drew also joined the growing list of voices supporting Shedeur, saying, “He’s earned the right to have another shot at starting again,” noting that he himself once got the same opportunity after putting up a strong performance.
One thing is clear: NFL analysts see something special in Shedeur Sanders, and they believe the Browns should let him prove it again next week.