The Cleveland Browns have designated Shedeur Sanders as their emergency quarterback behind starter Joe Flacco and backup Dillon Gabriel. The former Colorado quarterback has been inactive for games but is staying engaged with local football.
Cleveland.com’s Matt Goul reported that Sanders has become a regular at Ohio high school football games.
Sanders attended Avon’s Week 1 opener against St. Ignatius alongside Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II. He’s been connecting with local high school athletes throughout the spring, organizing throwing sessions with standout receivers in the Cleveland area.
“Sanders has taken an interest in high school athletes around Cleveland, introducing himself to a few standout receivers this spring for a throwing session. He is now taking part as a spectator for their games,” Goul wrote.
The NFL’s emergency quarterback rules limit Sanders’ opportunities to see game action this season.
CBS Sports’ John Breech outlined the specific scenarios that would allow Sanders to enter games under current league regulations.
“If Flacco got injured and Gabriel got thrown out of the game for some reason, Sanders would be eligible to play. Sanders could also play if the two quarterbacks were both being checked out for injury (They wouldn’t necessarily have to be knocked out of the game),” Breech wrote.
Equipment issues don’t qualify for emergency quarterback usage under NFL rules.
“If one of the top two quarterbacks has an equipment issue, the emergency QB is NOT allowed to go in the game. So if Flacco and Gabriel both were dealing with a broken helmet, Sanders would NOT be allowed to play. The Browns would have to use another player on the active roster in this situation.”
Cleveland fell 17-16 to the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field in their season opener. Sanders was inactive for the game, a status expected to continue throughout most of the season.
While Sanders’ NFL playing time remains limited, he’s maintaining his presence in Cleveland’s football community by attending local high school games on Friday nights.
