Shedeur Sanders is Preparing for Raiders Game Like This Will Be His Only Chance in NFL

When Shedeur Sanders takes the field at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday to face the Las Vegas Raiders, he won’t just be filling in for an injured teammate. He will be fighting for his NFL survival. The Cleveland Browns named the rookie their Week 12 starter after Dillon Gabriel entered concussion protocol, handing the fifth-round pick the keys to the offense for the first time in his professional career. But unlike the first-round quarterbacks who are granted years of patience and development, Sanders enters this game facing a harsh, almost “crazy” reality: this might be his only real shot to prove he belongs as a starter in this league. It is a jarring juxtaposition in a league known for recycling high-draft-pick quarterbacks through endless second chances. While players selected in the top 10 often get dozens of starts to “figure it out” despite poor performance, Sanders—who fell to pick No. 144 in the 2025 NFL Draft—likely does not have that luxury. The narrative surrounding the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders has always been loud, but his draft slide quieted the hype significantly. Now, sitting behind Gabriel on the depth chart, Sanders has to capitalize immediately. His relief appearance last...