NFL news: Kevin Stefanski announces Shedeur Sanders as Browns backup quarterback

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Friday that Shedeur Sanders will be the team’s backup quarterback for their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Browns traded Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday, opening the door for Sanders to be added to the active roster for the first time in his career. In the team’s first five games, he was the emergency third-string quarterback. 

Flacco struggled as the Browns went 1-3 in his four starts while he completed just over 58% of his passes for 815 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions before being benched for Dillon Gabriel. Flacco served as the team’s backup in the team’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5. 

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Shedeur Sanders, No. 12, of the Cleveland Browns, warms up before an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Sept. 28, 2025, in Detroit, Michigan. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

Stefanski did not commit to Sanders being the backup quarterback on Wednesday, making fans wonder if they would have opted to promote practice squad quarterback Bailey Zappe instead. Zappe started the team’s season finale in 2024. 

Sanders said he was excited about the possibility of backing up Dillon Gabriel on Thursday.

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) runs the offense during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.  (Ken Blaze/Imagn Images)

“I’m in a great mental space overall,” Sanders said. “I would say you tend to get a little bit more excited when you see a light at the end of the tunnel, for sure. … Whatever my role is here, I’m thankful. I’m happy just to do that.”

Gabriel made his first career start in the team’s 21-17 loss to the Vikings last week in London. The 24-year-old completed 57.6% of his passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. 

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) warms up before the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, on Sept. 28, 2025. (David Reginek/Imagn Images)

The Browns (1-4) take on the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) on the road Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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