Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ first start of the season was spoiled in gut-wrenching fashion.

Sanders got the start in the Browns’ Week 9 game against the New Orleans Saints after Deshaun Watson was ruled out with a concussion, and the second-year star posted one of his best performances of his young career.

Sanders finished with 297 passing yards, two touchdowns, and no turnovers on the day, but Cleveland ultimately fell short in overtime by a final score of 23-22 to drop to a 5-4 record on the season.

After connecting with tight end Harold Fannin Jr. to put the Browns within an extra point of tying the game with one minute remaining in overtime, Sanders and the offense attempted and failed a game-winning two-point conversion and lost by a single point.

Before that cruel ending, Sanders was the subject of mockery by Saints defensive tackle Khristian Boyd, who used Sanders’ patented celebration after bringing down the Browns quarterback with a huge sack late in the fourth quarter.

Sanders, whose go-to celebration involves raising his wrist and showing it to the crowd, has had multiple opposing defenders mock him with that same gesture throughout his first year and change in the NFL.

The former Colorado star, who is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, gained widespread popularity in college and upon entering the NFL as a fifth-round draft pick in 2025. He often displays his self-confident, optimistic attitude, which has rubbed fans and opposing players the wrong way ever since he entered the league.

Despite spending most of his career to this point as a reserve quarterback, Sanders remains one of the most talked-about players in the entire NFL and is evidently a target for defensive players who go against him.

One way the 24-year-old can silence the doubters is to play well, and he did just that in Week 9.

After both teams were held without a touchdown over the first three-and-a-half quarters of the game, Sanders connected with rookie wide receiver KC Concepcion Jr. for a 64-yard touchdown to put the Browns ahead 13-9.

The Saints immediately responded with a go-ahead touchdown, only for Sanders to drive Cleveland down the field with a seven-play, 41-yard drive to set up a game-tying 51-yard field goal from kicker Andre Szmyt.

“It was cool to even be able to get in that position,” Sanders said after the game. “The moment never felt big, so that’s how I know I’m growing as a quarterback in this league.”

It remains to be seen whether Sanders will remain the Browns’ starter in Week 10 against the Houston Texans.

Watson, who missed his first game of the year in Week 9, has been solid so far in 2026 and has led five game-winning fourth-quarter drives this season in all five of Cleveland’s victories. If he is healthy, he is expected to slot back in as the starter and push Sanders back into the second-string role.