Shannon Sharpe smells conspiracy over Shedeur Sanders being named Browns QB1 for the remaining 2025 NFL season

Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed on Monday that Shedeur Sanders will continue as the team's QB1 for the remainder of the 2025 NFL season. Sanders got his first NFL start in Week 12, leading Cleveland to a 24-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, but has suffered losses in his past two games.

After Stefanski announced Sanders as Cleveland's QB1 for the rest of the regular season, analyst Shannon Sharpe raised eyebrows around the team's decision.

"I really hate to feel this way," Sharpe said on his "Nightcap" show on Monday. "But a part of me is like … yeah, we’ll let him start the rest of the season … oh Bears, Bills, Steelers, Bengals. ... If I was Shedeur, I’d be like, 'Nah, I’m good. I already showed y’all what I can do. Put Dillon in there.'"

Sharpe also said that Stefanski should have named Sanders the outright starter after his dominant performance against the Raiders.

"Why couldn’t you name his a*s the starter three games ago?" Sharpe said. "Every time Kevin (Stefanski) don’t want to answer a question, he says, ‘I don’t want to get into that.'"

Sanders had the best game of his rookie career so far in Cleveland's 31-29 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 14 on Sunday. The Browns QB went 23 of 42 for 364 yards and three touchdowns with an interception, while adding 29 yards and a TD on three carries.

However, Sanders was not on the field for Cleveland's 2-point attempt late in the game, which could have tied the contest. Stefanski later didn't offer much as to why the QB was not involved in the play.

Shedeur Sanders' Browns will face the Chicago Bears in Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season

Cleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders - Source: Imagn

Shedeur Sanders' Browns (3-10) will face the Chicago Bears (9-4) in Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season on Sunday. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. ET from Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.

Sanders will be eager to build on his strong display against the Titans. Although Cleveland has no chance of making the playoffs, the QB will look to use the opportunties to show the organization that the team can be built around him.