Rookie QB Shedeur Sanders will make his first NFL start for the Browns on Sunday in Las Vegas

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — A natural showman, one of the many gifts inherited from his famous father, Shedeur Sanders is already hyping his first NFL start.

It will happen on a 100-yard-long stage in America's entertainment mecca.

“You cannot miss this moment,” Sanders said Wednesday. “It’ll be definitely exciting.”

He's hoping it goes better than his debut.

Sanders, the flashy rookie quarterback with a beaming smile, unshakeable confidence and huge fan base, will start Sunday in glitzy Las Vegas — perhaps a fitting venue — against the Raiders as the Browns (2-8) turn to him while fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel recovers from a concussion.

With a slow climb up the depth chart, Sanders, who began training camp as the team's fourth-stringer behind Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco and Gabriel, will become the 42nd quarterback to start for the Browns since the franchise's expansion reboot in 1999.

"That's crazy," he said when told of a startling stat that underscores the team's ineptitude. “I feel like I’m the guy. I know I’m the guy.”

Time will tell. So far, the reviews are mixed.

Last week, Sanders replaced an injured Gabriel for the second half of a 23-16 loss to Baltimore. It was a shaky outing as Sanders, who slid into the fifth round in April's draft before being selected by the Browns, completed just 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards with an interception.

He also was sacked twice, fumbled once and held onto the ball too long — a problem since college. Other than giving Cleveland's forlorn fans something to cheer, Sanders did little to convince anyone the Browns' search for a franchise QB is over.

Sanders was hard on himself afterward, accepting blame while feeling he should have done more. But by Wednesday he had moved on and is more than ready to make amends.

“For sure I’m my own biggest critic,” he said. "So in certain situations in the game, even in that fourth down of that last game (an incompletion), I wish I would’ve just extended the play. So mind you, I don’t listen to critics. I don’t listen to what anybody has to say that’s not within the organization, not within the team, within the family or anything.

“Everybody have their own perspectives. But they not out there doing it or they’ve done it in their past life and their time has passed. I’m just thankful that I’m living in the present. Now I have the opportunity to go out there and do the best I can. Will there be mistakes? Of course.”

Unlike last week, Sanders should be better prepared. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Sanders will get all the first-team reps in practice. The Browns were criticized for not giving Sanders any time with the starters since being drafted.

Guard Wyatt Teller had never heard Sanders' cadence before he took the field on Sunday.

“I’m truly excited for that, knowing that I have a piece of the offense and a say so and how things fit my eye and place the players exactly where they need to be,” Sanders said of the added work he'll get. “Seeing how they come in and out of routes, seeing the structure of the O-linemen, seeing their set, just having a feeling.

“I’m more of a feel type of person, so that’s how I learn. That’s how I do everything. I’m not just, ‘Imma just watch it, it’s just going to happen.’ No, I got to be out there, feel it."

Stefanski said Gabriel remains in the concussion protocol but is improving. The third-round pick from Oregon struggled while going 1-5 in his six starts.

When he's medically cleared, Gabriel could return to the starting lineup. But that could also hinge on how Sanders does this week. If he plays well, it's possible he'll finish the season for a Browns team going nowhere.

Sanders said he had not yet spoken to his father, Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, currently coaching at Colorado. He did speak with brother Shilo, but insists he's put aside any family time this week to better lock in on the Raiders.

"Shilo called me, but I said, “Bro, right now if you want to talk, everybody just fly in, come see me, bro.′ I ain’t trying to be on my phone. If you want to talk, just pull up on me and then we can talk from there. Other than that, I don’t even check my phone.

"Too many people have been texting me, are you OK? Yes, I’m fine. I didn’t get robbed, my house did.”

While Sanders was playing his first regular-season game on Sunday, his home was burglarized. The Medina County Sheriff's Office said three suspects wearing masks and gloves stole approximately $200,000 in property from the QB's residence.

“Mentally, emotionally, I’m in a great place overall,” he said when asked about the break-in, adding no jewelry was taken. “My life is always going to be adversity. Things aren’t always going to go as planned, but I would say I’m prepared for everything.”

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders responds to a question during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Cleveland, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) runs the ball as Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Travis Jones, right, attempts to make the stop in the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/David Richard)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) signals at the line of scrimmage in the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Cleveland, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/David Richard)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) is stopped by Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton (14) in the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) is pressured out of the pocket by Baltimore Ravens' Dre'Mont Jones (41) in the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/David Richard)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Deni Avdija had 28 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, Jrue Holiday hit seven 3s and finished with 30 points, and the Portland Trail Blazers snapped the Los Angeles Clippers' five-game win streak, 114-104 on Tuesday night.

The Clippers (39-37) are eighth in the Western Conference, a half-game in front of the ninth-place Blazers (39-38). Los Angeles leads the season series — which wraps up April 10 in Portland — with the Blazers 2-1.

Toumani Camara scored 17 points and Scoot Henderson added 15 for the Trail Blazers.

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 23 points. Darius Garland scored 20, Brook Lopez 18, John Collins added 17 and Jordan Miller 16 points.

Leonard has scored at least 20 points in 52 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak of its kind in the NBA (Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a 136 game streak).

Matisse Thybulle hit a 3-pointer that made it 31-29 with 1:06 left in the first quarter and the Blazers led the rest of the way.

Garland made a bucket in the lane that trimmed the Clippers' deficit to eight with 3:44 left in the third quarter but they got no closer. Henderson hit a step-back 3 at the buzzer to cap a 16-5 run that made it 91-74 going into the fourth.

Portland had 18 offensive rebounds and 32 second-chance points. The Blazers went into the game leading the NBA in second-chance points (18.2 per game) and are second in offensive rebounds (14.1 per game).

Avdija made 11 of 12 from the free-throw line and has 31 games this season with at least 10 free-throw attempts, second most in the NBA behind Luka Doncic.

Portland's Jerami Grant (calf) missed his second consecutive game.

Trail Blazers: Host New Orleans on Wednesday.

Clippers: Host San Antonio on Thursday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) and LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) reach for the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) is greeted by Portland Trail Blazers guard Sidy Cissoko (91) after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the LA Clippers, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday (5) shoots the ball while being guarded by LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)