Cleveland Browns Owner Jimmy Haslam: Drafting Shedeur Sanders Wasn’t My Decision

The Cleveland Browns did what all NFL teams do when they draft a quarterback and have three capable signal-callers on their active roster: take another one in the same draft.

Well, that’s actually not what typically happens, but seeing value in the move, Cleveland traded up for the No. 144 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to select Colorado quarterback and 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Shedeur Sanders. This came after the Browns had already selected Oregon quarterback and 2024 Heisman Trophy finalist Dillon Gabriel with the No. 94 pick.

Sanders’ selection raised eyebrows, and questions have persisted regarding whether Browns Executive Vice President of Football Operations Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski wanted Sanders, or if owner Jimmy Haslam recommended them to draft him. The latter theory was fueled by the live reaction to the pick in Cleveland’s war room, showing Berry and Stefanski appearing to be dissatisfied after the pick was announced.

Haslam clarified his role in drafting Sanders on Tuesday.

“If you would’ve told me on Friday night as I was driving home that we were going to take Shedeur, I would’ve said that’s not happening, but we had a conversation early that morning [Day 3 of the draft], and we had a conversation later that day. I think we had the right people involved in the conversation. At the end of the day, that’s Andrew Berry’s call. Andrew made the call to pick Shedeur,” Haslam said at training camp on Tuesday about the Browns drafting Sanders, according to Cleveland.com. “Just like who’s going to start or what play we’re going to call is Kevin’s call. That’s Andrew’s call. He made the call.”

Sanders was widely regarded as a first-round talent, with the quarterback going undrafted on Days 1 and 2 becoming one of the main talking points of the draft.

In his senior season at Colorado (2024), Sanders totaled 4,134 passing yards, 37 passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 168.2 passer rating, while completing 74.0% of his passes. Sanders led the Big 12 in passing yards, passing touchdowns, passer rating and completion percentage. 

As for the rest of its quarterback room, Cleveland traded for quarterback Kenny Pickett in March and reunited with veteran Joe Flacco — who played for the Browns in 2023 — in free agency. Deshaun Watson is expected to miss the 2025 season due to a torn Achilles tendon.

While Flacco is the safe bet to win the starting job given his familiarity with Stefanksi’s offense, the Browns haven’t announced their Week 1 quarterback. Cleveland opens the 2025 preseason on the road against the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8.

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