BEREA, Ohio — Shedeur Sanders said Wednesday that he’s not thinking of the final four games of the season as an audition to be the Browns‘ starting quarterback in 2026, but he acknowledged the importance of the opportunity.
In a postgame interaction with Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick, after the two faced off in Week 14, Sanders was asked about his plans for the offseason but said his focus was on the remainder of the season.
“This is my life here. So we on two different spectrums right now,” Sanders, the 144th overall pick in this year’s draft, told local reporters Wednesday. “I got to focus on playing my best and being the best player I can for the team. And obviously the situations are different. I know he puts his all into these games and these final four games, but it’s just a little bit different because you don’t know what could happen.
“I just go here, enjoy my day, work hard, do everything I can, and if I’m here, I’m here. If I’m not, I’m not. It’s nothing in my control. So I try to control what I can control, going out there, making the right reads, going out there, doing the right things, being the person I am and things will fall how they’re supposed to.”
The Browns, who are 3-10 and have officially been eliminated from playoff contention, have a pair of first-round picks in the 2026 NFL draft. There has been speculation that Cleveland could target a quarterback early.
Sanders, who has started the previous three games, is coming off the best game of his young career. He accounted for 394 total yards and four touchdowns in the Browns’ 31-29 home loss to the Titans last Sunday. Coach Kevin Stefanski on Monday announced that Sanders would start the final four games of the season.
“I just think he’s committed to getting better every single week. And that’s what you want,” Stefanski said Wednesday.
Sanders leads all rookie quarterbacks in passing yards (722) and touchdown passes (5) since making his first start in Week 12. And against the Titans, Sanders joined Joe Burrow as the only player to record at least 350 passing yards, at least three touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown in a single game as a rookie.
The Browns are 1-2 in games that Sanders has started, but he said he didn’t want to look too far into the future with a runway to start the final month of the season.
“That’s a long deep thought,” Sanders said. “That’s not in my focus. My focus right now is the team I’m playing ahead, the Bears. Anything past that, I’m not really focused on, honestly. I’m thankful for it, but I’m not content with my situation with everything, with leading this team.”
