Shedeur Sanders ditches rookie number as Browns announce change heading into 2026 season

Shedeur Sanders is making a jersey alteration heading into his sophomore NFL season, and he’s going backmost to his Colorado roots. 

Sanders, who wore No. 12 during his rookie season, will deterioration No. 2 adjacent twelvemonth for nan Cleveland Browns. 

As nan Browns made it charismatic connected societal media, Sanders did truthful arsenic well, penning "#2" connected X to coincide pinch his squad. 

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Shedeur Sanders of nan Cleveland Browns stands for nan nationalist anthem anterior to a NFL preseason 2025 crippled against nan Carolina Panthers astatine Bank of America Stadium connected August 8, 2025 successful Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images) (Logan Bowles/Getty Images)

The move comes aft wide receiver DeAndre Carter, who wore nan number for Cleveland past season, is nary longer connected nan roster. Now that he has a twelvemonth nether his belt, Sanders tin make nan change. 

And he does truthful pinch his aged assemblage number, arsenic Sanders wore No. 2 astatine Jackson State University earlier transferring to Colorado, arsenic his father, Deion Sanders, took nan caput coach domiciled pinch nan Buffaloes. 

SHEDEUR SANDERS' WILD 2025 BEGAN WITH DRAFT FALL, BUT IT'S ENDING WITH HOPE AFTER TUMULTUOUS TURNS

While he was wearing No. 12 past season, Sanders started nan twelvemonth successful a extent role, arsenic seasoned Joe Flacco was Kevin Stefanski’s starting quarterback. But, erstwhile Flacco was traded to nan Cincinnati Bengals pursuing Joe Burrow’s injury, Dillon Gabriel, who was drafted 2 rounds earlier Sanders successful a shocking NFL Draft for nan Buffaloes product, took complete nan role. 

He would beryllium Gabriel’s backup, but aft nan latter’s struggles and injury, it was Sanders’ clip to measurement up. 

Cleveland Browns backmost Shedeur Sanders reacts connected nan sideline during nan first half of an NFL shot crippled against nan San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, successful Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Sanders won his first-ever commencement against nan Las Vegas Raiders and went 3-4 crossed 7 starts arsenic he remained nan starter for nan remainder of nan season. Since then, Stefanski was fired; caput coach Todd Monken was hired, and nan seasoned coach who served arsenic John Harbaugh’s violative coordinator pinch nan Baltimore Ravens echoed what nan Browns said heading into 2026 — location will beryllium an unfastened backmost competition. 

Monken told NFL Network astatine nan NFL owners gathering successful Phoenix connected Monday that nan Browns haven’t "gotten that acold yet" successful position of naming Sanders their starter heading into nan team’s offseason program. 

Deshaun Watson, who has had a turbulent Browns tenure, is backmost successful nan fold, while Gabriel is backmost patient heading into 2026. 

Sanders surely understands he’ll person to beryllium himself again pinch a caller coaching unit successful nan building, arsenic that’s yet nan quality of nan NFL isolated from for a uncommon group of certified starters. 

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

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But Sanders has a Pro Bowl nether his loop already contempt nan mini sample size connected nan NFL gridiron. He’s looking to build disconnected nan momentum of past season, but it’ll beryllium a caller commencement pinch a caller number.  

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