For the Cleveland Browns head coach, navigating quarterback situations is nothing new but for 2025, it turns out that the QB plan is being dictated elsewhere in the organization, and Kevin Stefanski‘s role is more limited than many assume.
From handling veterans to managing controversies, his tenure has regularly been shaped by the most scrutinized position in football. Yet in the case of Shedeur Sanders, alongside Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel, the authority over who starts and when does not rest with Stefanski.
According to The Athletic Football Show’s Robert Mays, the Browns’ front office has charted the early-season approach, heavily influenced by the unforgiving start to the schedule.
Joe Flacco was always gonna play the first game,” Mays said, pointing to a stretch that begins with Cincinnati and then runs through Baltimore, Green Bay, Detroit, Minnesota, and Pittsburgh.
The logic is straightforward: put the most experienced arm behind center against elite defenses, sparing the rookies from unnecessary risk as the team eyes up a run to the NFL Playoffs.
That choice reflects less about Stefanski‘s individual preference and more about organizational strategy as the Browns‘ coaching staff has emphasized the strength of their defense, anchored by Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward, as the foundation of the team’s early survival.
With that defense expected to shoulder the load, the quarterback decision is framed not by development but by damage control – hoping to keep the offense in action just long enough to snag 14-21 points and maybe a win.
“You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube,” Mays also further explained, suggesting that prematurely exposing Gabriel or Sanders in such contests could have lasting consequences.
Browns sign fourth quarterback: What does it mean for Shedeur Sanders?
Cleveland’s decision to move quarterback Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders formally elevated Gabriel to Flacco’s primary backup, with Sanders as the third chair after being picked in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
While Flacco’s veteran presence is intended to absorb the toughest early assignments, the Browns’ long-term outlook still involves turning to their younger quarterbacks later in the season.
Gabriel, in particular, is expected to receive meaningful opportunities once the schedule allows for a developmental phase – provided the team aren’t in contention for the postseason.
But how long might Sanders hold that third seat? The team have also signed the experienced Bailey Zappe to the practice squad, adding another potential rival in the QB room – even if Stefanski denied this early doors.
The Browns’ quarterback picture remains further complicated by Deshaun Watson‘s ongoing recovery from a torn Achilles as the $230 million investment is sidelined on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, guaranteeing his absence for the first four games.
His rehabilitation timeline remains uncertain, though the organization has emphasized his continued involvement with the team, suggesting he’ll have a role when he eventually returns.
The Browns open their season on September 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals at the Huntington Bank Field in an AFC North matchup that pits Flacco against Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins.
