Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12.23.25)
Hey, Shedeur, I wanted to ask you – you’re seeing the Steelers for the first time as a starter, but you went through the whole, preparation as the backup that week of the game in Pittsburgh. How much does that help you in this week’s preparation now as the starter? You’ve seen it. You’ve gone through all that prep work before on this opponent.
“I would say week by week of getting gameplay helps me more than that week in particular when we just studied them. Because like I say, every week is a new week, and you have to focus on the next opponent. So, like, you can look at past notes and things. That’s okay. But I think having a fresh set of eyes is always the best.”
What is it about the Steelers defense that stands out the most to you?
“I think that they are physical. I like their physicality. I like how they fly around, get to the ball.”
Shedeur, I know that one of the things that you’ve been working on is, you’ve talked about your footwork and presence in the pocket. And Harold (Fannin Jr.) just said that was one of the things that he’s seen you grow in the most is like stepping into the pocket and making those passes. And I know you’ve also talked about that being trust, that being so heavily reliant on trust. How much is that is trust in the team around you and how much of that is trust in yourself, too?
“I think everything applies. It’s trusting your eyes, trusting what you see, trusting how you’ve been prepared, trusting your coaching, trusting the skills that you developed over the weeks. I think it’s all in one.”
I know you guys as a rookie class; you guys are so close. So, what was your reaction to see Harold and Carson (Schwesinger) and Quinshon (Judkins) named to the Pro Bowl alternates? Were you excited for them?
“Well, Quinshon just had his surgery today, so I didn’t really see that. I didn’t see that was on there. Yeah, but they all deserving of it. You know, I’m sure everybody’s excited for it, but the main goal is to never… the main goal is to make it be that undisputedly. To make it where it’s no question, no anything. So, I think that it shows that we’re on the right track. But I think in the future, you know, it would be better.”
What does it mean for Kevin (Stefanski) to say he’s got all the faith in the world in you when it comes to fourth and two or other key situations?
“It means a lot because having the coaches trust is a big thing. In this game, you build trust. I think you get trust and you earn the trust of the coach by getting completions, by moving the ball down the field and doing what we did last game. So, I think that’s how you build trust, you know.”
Last week, you said, you know, this is the worst it’s going to be for you. And Sunday you said defenses better get you now. So, have you spent a lot of time thinking about just how much better it could look next year?
“No, I live in the present. I live in the present. I’m focused on this week, this game, each week, in every game, like, because nothing’s promised going into next year or anything. So, I stay in the moment, stay focused on what I have to do now to even be able to be here next year, and I just enjoy life.”
If you could look back on that first game ball against the Ravens to now, where do you think you’ve improved the most?
“If I look back from the Ravens game to now, I would… I don’t know. It’s a tough one. That’s a great question. Because I don’t want to give you the typical answer of course, mentally, but I would say I improved in experience. I improved being in situations and understanding that failing…I think those are all building blocks to be able to have success. You know, I think sometimes you have to fail in certain areas to – and I like the route that basically it took, and I like how everything went because it’s a lot of great building blocks that I’m able to learn from when it comes to life, when it comes to just me being a part of the organization, everything. Like, I like when I look back today and I look back at everything, I’m super appreciative that everything happened how it happened, going out there versus a great defense like the Ravens and not playing my best, but at the same time, that last drive you know, that’s when I felt comfortable. That’s when I know, I could get back to being myself. That’s when I could feel. So, I think everything’s about feel, and I’m thankful that, I have that feeling.”
Hey, Shedeur, when Cam Ward came through here a couple weeks ago, you mentioned the differences in your situations. And then just a few minutes ago, you said nothing’s even promised for next year. Do you still not feel a commitment from the Browns about next year and you being the starter?
“Nah, I don’t think it’s about feeling a commitment. I don’t think it’s about anything like that. It’s about controlling what you can control as a person, as a player. I think I have to do my part, you know, I think I have to do my part and get some wins. I think I have to do my part and play clean football. And the rest isn’t in my hands, so that’s really all it is. I don’t own the organization, so I can’t promise anything will happen. You know, I’m not God. I can’t dictate what’s going to happen each and every day, each and every minute, you know, so, like, you just gotta enjoy what you do have. You gotta enjoy the present. You can’t look too deep into the future, because then you’ll miss the blessings and the lessons that you learn from the now.”
Okay, and my second question is, in your season now, your first season here, have you grown an appreciation of what beating the (Pittsburgh) Steelers means to Browns fans yet? I know they didn’t win, you didn’t win the first game in Pittsburgh, but a sense of the rivalry with this team.
“I know getting to win versus any team means a lot for the Browns. So, I mean, you go in each and every game with motivation and with what you feel like you need to do within the scheme and understand how you need to play for you to be able to go out there and have success. So, I approach every game the same.”
Pittsburgh got seven, eight sacks against the Browns in the first meeting. Just for you, what will it take just going up against that Pittsburgh pass rush?
“I focus on what we got to focus on. I don’t focus on past stats and all that stuff. Like, I don’t, this serves no purpose. Because if you just hear that, then you already losing mentally. You’re losing cause you’re like, ‘yeah, oh, they could get some sacks.’ Now you mentally, you know, you’re not mentally in it. You already lost before you even showed up. So, I tend to, like, live in the present and not really think about the past.”
And then just, Kevin said going into the game last week, there would be opportunities for you to get scrambles and runs that way, and you were able to take advantage of that. Just for you, what’s a process like knowing when to scramble and also just taking the slide, knowing that you got the yards and not maybe trying to get any extra yards and taking hits to the body?
“Well, I think I’m still trying to figure that out. I don’t think I have the solution, and I don’t think I have those answers. I think everything’s natural. When it happens, it happens.”
Hey, Shedeur, so a couple questions ago, you talked about sort of understanding, you know, how to win within the scheme, play within the scheme. And this past Sunday was a game where it seemed like, you know, kind of taking what was there, taking a lot of short stuff. And I know your mindset is normally to be very aggressive going down the field. Did you have to adjust, I guess, how was that difficult for you? Did you have to adjust anything kind of mentally going into that game, how you approached it or thought about it?
“Just take what they give you. If they gonna give up the deep ball, they gonna create opportunities for you to take advantage of the deep ball. So, I think everything’s about timing. Everything’s about what’s there. So, you playing, it’s a consistent chess game that you playing while you out there playing. If a team knows I love to have explosive plays, I think they would think to neutralize me would be to take away the explosive plays, you know.”
So, is it challenging to be patient, though, in a situation like that?
“No, it’s not challenging. I’m excited in the game because I’m able to do what it takes for the team to win, do what it takes to have success. So, I don’t care what it looks like, you know, I could be handing the ball off a hundred times, and have one boot action, and I’ll be okay. But whatever it takes to win.”
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