In Week 12, Cleveland Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders is set to make his starting NFL Debut against the Las Vegas Raiders. With this start, Sanders will become the 42nd QB to start for the Browns since 1999.
Which QBs Have Started for the Cleveland Browns
The list starts from 1999, when the Browns returned to the NFL.
1999-
- Tim Couch
- Ty Detmer
- Doug Pederson
- Spergon Wynn
- Kelly Holcomb
- Jeff Garcia
- Luke McCown
- Trent Dilfer
- Charlie Frye
- Derek Anderson
- Brady Quinn
- Ken Dorsey
- Bruce Gradkowski
- Colt McCoy
- Jake Delhomme
- Seneca Wallace
- Brandon Weeden
- Thad Lewis
- Jason Campbell
- Brian Hoyer
- Johnny Manziel
- Connor Shaw
- Josh McCown
- Austin Davis
- Cody Kessler
- Robert Griffin III
- DeShone Kizer
- Kevin Hogan
- Baker Mayfield
- Tyrod Taylor
- Case Keenum
- Nick Mullens
- Jacoby Brissett
- Deshaun Watson
- Joe Flacco
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson
- P.J. Walker
- Jeff Driskel
- Jameis Winston
- Bailey Zappe
- Dillon Gabriel
- Shedeur Sanders
The Browns have been unable to find any consistency at QB for a long time, and the last person to bring winning to Cleveland was QB Baker Mayfield. Since that point, there have been 13 (including Sanders’ upcoming start) QBs that the Browns have trotted out as the starter.
Clearly, Cleveland has not found an answer since, but let’s see how the 2025 season has gone so far.
The Starters for the 2025 NFL Season
To start the season, former Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco was named the starter. His play on the field was not horrible, but also not good enough. The Browns agreed and traded the veteran QB to their division rival, the Cincinnati Bengals, on October 7th.
This move left the Browns with their two rookie QBs: Dillon Gabriel and Sanders. Gabriel was selected in the third round, and Sanders was selected in the fifth. Just looking at draft capital used on the prospects, it would have made sense for the Browns to go with Gabriel first, and that was what happened.
In Gabriel’s six starts this season, he has not looked worth a third-round pick. Some plays have been positive, but most have not. Still, the Browns wanted to see what they have in the rookie, but after getting injured against the Ravens in week 11, he has been out since.
This was Sanders’ time to come into the game, and although it was not good, he is going to be the starter in Week 12 due to Gabriel’s injury. In this game, Sanders will need to show why he can be the player to end the Browns’ history of QB inconsistency.
