The excitement is palpable in Cleveland as Shedeur Sanders gears up for his first NFL start, traveling to face the Las Vegas Raiders. Despite a rocky debut last week, the Browns are embracing the moment, unveiling a special uniform combination to mark the occasion.
Browns Debut Alternate Uniform for Shedeur Sanders’ First Start
Week 12 of NFL action brings one of the most anticipated uniform reveals of the season, pairing nostalgia with a modern twist. After Thursday Night Football delivered a clean monochromatic matchup between the Texans and Bills, Cleveland will keep the alternate trend rolling, taking the field in all-white uniforms topped by a white alternate helmet for Sanders’ first NFL start against the Raiders.
white helmets making their season debut 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fnaDJSFNxA
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 23, 2025
The Browns shared the look on their official X account, showcasing the new white helmet paired with the full white uniform set for the rookie’s debut. The pants will stand out with a bold orange stripe, contrasting against the otherwise icy aesthetic.
first start fit ready to go pic.twitter.com/qqNGuU8m1t
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 23, 2025
Sanders made his season debut last week after coming in to relieve fellow rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who suffered a concussion. The Baltimore Ravens squeaked out a win against the Browns by a score of 23-16, but the main storyline was Sanders’ stat line.
The rookie had an abysmal 25% completion percentage, completing only four of his 16 attempted passes. On those four completions, he accrued 47 passing yards, but he also threw an interception and was sacked twice. He received a score of 63.4 from PFSN’s QB Impact metric, ranking 33rd.
However, Sanders flashed the talent that once made him a projected first-round selection, coming inches from tying the game on a final-minute end-zone throw before the ball came out of Gage Larvadain’s hands at the last moment. It’s worth noting Sanders had not taken first-team reps leading up to the game, a factor that undoubtedly contributed to his uneven debut.
This week has been different. Sanders received extensive first-team work and extra one-on-one sessions with head coach Kevin Stefanski. According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, one Browns player described the rookie as treating this start “like a final exam he desperately needs to pass.”
History, however, isn’t on his side. No Browns rookie quarterback has won his first start since 1995, with the group going 0–17 over the past three decades. Quarterbacks drafted in the fifth round or later have also fared poorly in their first starts: since the merger, those passers have gone 19–36–1, averaging 51.1% completions, 135.4 passing yards, and a 54.2 passer rating on average.
Sanders has a chance to shake that notion, and facing a Raiders defense that ranks 26th on PFSN’s Defense Impact is about as good a shot as he can get. But, for a fifth-round pick who needs to prove something to Cleveland and put on good film tape for the rest of the league as well, the task is far from simple.
