Shedeur Sanders already looking forward after Browns fire head coach Kevin Stefanski: 'Just how the league is'

The Cleveland Browns volition beryllium searching for different caput manager aft giving Kevin Stefanski the axe connected "Black Monday" pursuing six seasons with the franchise.

Shedeur Sanders, the rookie backmost who fans believed was being held backmost by Stefanski, spoke astir the determination connected Monday arsenic helium and the remainder of his Browns teammates caput into the offseason.

"We conscionable recovered retired a mates seconds ago," Sanders said erstwhile asked by reporters what helium thought of the news, per The New York Post. "I deliberation it’s conscionable wide the mentality, things are gonna happen, that’s conscionable however the league is.

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Cleveland Browns caput manager Kevin Stefanski walks connected the sideline during the 2nd fractional of an NFL shot crippled against the Cincinnati Bengals successful Cincinnati connected Jan. 4, 2026. (Jeff Dean/AP Photo)

"And moving forward, conscionable absorption connected what we tin amended connected individually for the adjacent caput coach."

It was rather the generic reply from Sanders, who Stefanski made the starting backmost for the remaining 7 games of the Browns’ dismal 5-12 season.

Sanders was nether scrutiny the 2nd helium was drafted successful the 5th circular by the Browns, particularly considering galore believed him to beryllium a first-round prime this past April. That evidently didn’t travel to be, and his draught banal plummeted portion teams including his ain took quarterbacks earlier him.

BROWNS FIRE HEAD COACH KEVIN STEFANSKI AFTER SIX SEASONS

Throughout grooming camp, and adjacent into the regular season, determination were galore speculating that the Browns weren’t giving Sanders a just changeable astatine earning the close to commencement nether center, and fingers started to constituent astatine the caput coach.

Stefanski’s relation successful Sanders’ rookie play was a roller coaster, astatine slightest successful the public’s eye. But Sanders did notation that helium and Stefanski started to "grew to recognize each other," arsenic they worked successful their archetypal play together.

Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns stands for the nationalist anthem anterior to an NFL Preseason 2025 crippled against the Carolina Panthers astatine Bank of America Stadium connected August 8, 2025 successful Charlotte. (Logan Bowles/Getty Images)

"We would stock antithetic things that we would some spell through," Sanders explained. "I cognize helium wanted this win, and I cognize helium wants each win, but I cognize that this 1 means a lot."

"I privation we each played arsenic a team," helium continued. "And I privation we could person done much personally wrong this past year."

The Browns were capable to travel distant with a triumph successful their last crippled of the 2025 season, 20-18 implicit the Cincinnati Bengals, arsenic Sanders threw for 11 yards connected 11-of-22 passing with a mislaid fumble.

"I deliberation I did what I was capable to bash and I decidedly grew from a batch of things," Sanders said arsenic helium reflected connected his rookie campaign.

The play began with Stefanski steadfastly saying seasoned Joe Flacco was the starting backmost contempt Sanders and third-round prime Dillon Gabriel besides connected the roster. Kenny Pickett was traded distant to the Las Vegas Raiders, making the conflict betwixt Sanders and Gabriel arsenic Flacco’s backup 1 of the apical storylines successful the summer.

Cleveland Browns' Shedeur Sanders (12) and Teven Jenkins (74) observe a touchdown successful the archetypal fractional of an NFL shot crippled against the Tennessee Titans successful Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.  (Sue Ogrocki/AP Photo)

Stefanski yet chose Gabriel, who yet commencement six games aft Flacco was traded to the Bengals midseason. Gabriel went conscionable 1-5 successful those starts, and pursuing a concussion, Sanders was up adjacent to effort his manus astatine the starting role.

He won his archetypal commencement against the Raiders, and went 3-4 wide crossed 7 starts. Sanders threw for an adjacent 1,400 yards with 7 touchdowns to 10 interceptions, portion completing 56.6% of his throws.

The Browns won’t beryllium committing to Sanders, oregon immoderate backmost for that matter, heading into 2026 arsenic they privation to solidify their adjacent caput manager and let that idiosyncratic to determine what’s champion for the franchise. Cleveland besides has Deshaun Watson nether declaration for adjacent season, and GM Andrew Berry says they expect the embattled awesome caller to beryllium with the squad heading into the 2026 campaign.

"I’m not going to get into specifics. We person a batch of enactment to bash connected the roster, peculiarly connected the violative side," Browns proprietor Jimmy Haslam besides said connected Monday.

Cleveland Browns backmost Shedeur Sanders speaks astatine a quality league aft an NFL shot crippled against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, successful Cleveland.  (Sue Ogrocki/AP Photo)

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Meanwhile, Stefanski mightiness beryllium close backmost connected his feet successful a caput coaching relation elsewhere successful the NFL, arsenic ESPN reports the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans are expected to bring him successful to sermon their ain caput coaching vacancy.

Stefanski was a two-time Coach of the Year victor with the Browns, helping pb the franchise to 2 playoff appearances during his six years with the squad (2020, 2023). He went 45-56 during 101 games with the franchise.

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