Despite impressing fans with an unexpected preseason performance, the Cleveland Browns have stumbled out of the gate in the 2025-26 NFL season. They suffered a tough defeat against the Baltimore Ravens. Quarterback Joe Flacco‘s underwhelming play has drawn criticism, fueling speculation about losing the QB1 spot to Shedeur Sanders. In response to the rumors, head coach Kevin Stefanski addressed the situation with a direct statement.
“No. I don’t think it’s fair to talk about that right now. We win as a team. We lose as a team,” Stefanski affirmed, via The Athletic after the game. Even if the collective game did not shine, Joe Flacco’s individual performance was not solid at all. He completed 25 of 45 attempted passes for 199 yards, a touchdown and an interception. At 40 years old, a performance of this caliber was heavily criticized by fans on social media.
Stefanski’s decision to keep Flacco as QB1 is being heavily criticized, as even Dillon Gabriel managed to perform better in the few minutes he had on the field. For that reason, fans are urging the Browns to bet on Shedeur in the upcoming games. What is certain is that Joe will have a huge opportunity in the next game against the Packers, as repeating a similar performance in a loss could lead to him losing his starting spot towards Sanders or Gabriel.
In the midst of swirling rumors and speculation, Joe Flacco candidly spoke about concerns over his potential demotion from QB1. “I can’t worry about that stuff anyway. It’s honestly not on my mind. I gotta go out there and just play my game, play the way I know how to lead this team the best I can,” he said, via ESPN.
Joe Flacco #15 of the Cleveland Browns warms up prior to the game against the Houston Texans.
Report: Browns’ Shedeur Sanders turned down the Ravens before Draft
Just hours before kickoff between the Ravens and Browns, a report from ESPN revealed that Baltimore was interested in selecting Sanders during the 2025 NFL Draft. Shedeur, however, apparently let the Ravens know he preferred to be drafted elsewhere.
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Despite the Ravens’ strong interest, Sanders reportedly declined the opportunity due to the presence of Lamar Jackson, who is expected to helm the quarterback position for the foreseeable future. Sanders seemingly preferred to be drafted by a team that gave him a better opportunity to eventually compete for the starting role. However, he ended up being named QB3 by the Browns, working behind Flacco and Gabriel.
