The Cleveland Browns gave their first preseason quarterback start to Shedeur Sanders. Immediately after that decision was made, their game against the Carolina Panthers became one of the most anticipated matchups of Week 1 preseason action.
Sanders performed admirably during the game. He looked the part of an NFL quarterback.
Throughout the course of the game, he completed 14 of his 23 pass attempts for 138 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions, while also running for 19 yards on four attempts. That performance has made the calls for him to be a potential starter for the Browns grow much louder.
While he put together an impressive game in his NFL debut, Sanders has come under fire after a video was shared about his actions prior to the game.
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In the video, Sanders was seen declining to sign autographs for fans.
Heartbreaking: Browns star rookie QB Shedeur Sanders has gone viral for REFUSING to sign an autograph for a young kid before his first game.
“I’m about to play a game. It’s not a great look to be signing stuff.”
You can see the sadness on his face 😔💔pic.twitter.com/7qUB0iaZJY
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 15, 2025
Fans did not waste time jumping into the comments section to share their opinions on the matter.
“Why these dudes not signing autographs……..,” one fan wrote.
Another chimed in, “And just like that, everyone found out why he was the 144th player selected in the draft.”
“Haha, followed around by your own camera everywhere you go….thats a good look though,” a third fan said.
A fourth fan commented, “Be honored to be in a position of a role model. Try harder, fame usually doesn’t last forever. Be humble.”
“The selfie is cool but the autograph is distracting . I love his priorities,” a fifth comment read.
Obviously, Sanders is not required to sign autographs. He doesn’t have to accommodate a fan request.
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Right now, Cleveland has a four-man quarterback competition going on. Sanders is competing with Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Kenny Pickett for playing time. He has been at the bottom of the quarterback depth chart to this point, but his performance last week has certainly made his name more interesting.
It will be interesting to see what the upcoming 2025 NFL season has in store for Sanders. He has looked the part since falling to the Browns in the fifth round of the NFL Draft, but there are players currently ahead of him.
Regardless of the opinions coming out about his decision to pass on signing an autograph, Sanders is putting himself in a position to earn playing time as a rookie.
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