Shedeur Sanders may very well be the starting quarterback in an NFL game one day, but it won’t happen on September 7.
On Monday, the Cleveland Browns announced that longtime veteran Joe Flacco, and not rookie Shedeur Sanders, will be the starter when the Browns host their in-state division rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals, on September 7.
Flacco, 40, is no stranger to the Browns. He played for the Browns in 2023, leading the team to a 4-1 run and a playoff berth. His familiarity with head coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense was a key factor in Cleveland’s decision to bring Flacco back after a rough 2024 season in Indianapolis. Somewhat ironically, Flacco, by far the oldest QB on the roster, has been the healthiest as Kenny Pickett, Dillion Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders have all dealt with or are still dealing with nagging injuries.
As for Sanders, despite being a 5th-rounder, no one entered the offseason with more hype than the former Colorado QB and son of NFL legend Deion Sanders. Shedeur had a strong outing in his one preseason start against Carolina last week. However, fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel also looked sharp running the offense against the Eagles this weekend.
Currently, the Browns have four quarterbacks on the roster. Most NFL teams will dress two quarterbacks for game day and keep one on the practice squad. It remains to be seen who will back Flacco up.
