Earlier this season, Shedeur Sanders became the 42nd starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns since 1999.
The troubling recent history has led to plenty of losing seasons, and now the Browns stare at just three wins 15 weeks into the NFL season once again. However, since earning the role as a starter, Sanders has done everything in his power to keep the Browns afloat. Despite his efforts, Cleveland has not achieved victory.
Shedeur Sanders Spoke With Former Browns QB About the Importance of Winning
At 3-11, Cleveland is inked in to have their second-straight losing season, likely earning them another high draft choice in 2026. Regardless of their current position in the standings, Sanders remains steadfast in one goal: winning.
With the losses piling up in his rookie year, the Browns’ 2025 fifth-round draft pick spoke to last year’s starter, Jameis Winston. During their conversation, Winston reminded the young QB what truly matters when it’s all said and done.
“I’m not really looking at the numbers, I’m looking at the wins,” Sanders told 92.3 The Fan. “I talked to Jameis a couple of weeks ago, and he went crazy, threw for some crazy yards, and he was like, ‘nah, bro, the most important thing is to win.'”
“I’m not really looking at the numbers. I’m looking at the wins. I talked to Jameis (Winston) a couple of weeks ago…having that guidance, knowledge from a vet like him. Have I been playing winning football, lately? No, I don’t think so.” #Browns QB Shedeur Sanders pic.twitter.com/2zJCRVmr2R
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) December 17, 2025
Sanders continued, “Having that guidance, that knowledge from a vet like him, it truly helped me understand a little bit more. I always knew of course winning, and that’s the final goal, that’s what everybody’s in this league to do. You just gotta focus on that.”
The 23-year-old goes on to discuss how his personal performance can correlate to winning football in Cleveland.
“The more plays you stack, the more completions you rack up, the better chance you have at winning,” said Sanders. “Have I been playing winning football lately? No, I don’t think so. It is something I’ve self-evaluated, and I’m gonna apply to my game.”
With Cleveland’s young gunslinger aware of his mishaps, how does he compare to fellow quarterbacks across the league in 2025?
Sanders and Fellow Cleveland Rookie QB Towards the Bottom of the NFL Rankings
On PFSN’s QB Impact metric, Sanders lands 41st, ahead of just Cam Ward, Dillon Gabriel, and Jake Browning. With a 57.9 impact score and an F grade, the former Colorado Buffalo appears correct in saying he is not playing winning football.
The 6’2″ rookie has completed 72 passes on 138 attempts for a completion rate of 52.2%, the league’s worst. Gabriel, while ranked lower, boasts several better statistics than Sanders in two more games started.
With Cleveland limping towards the finish line once again, can Sanders or Gabriel remove Cleveland from QB purgatory?
