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Shedeur Sanders makes a jersey change before the start of his second NFL season and returns to his roots in Colorado.
Sanders, who wore No. 12 in his rookie season, will wear No. 2 next year Cleveland Browns.
When the Browns made it social media official, Sanders did so too, writing “#2” on X to match his roster.
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Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns stands for the national anthem before a 2025 NFL preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on August 8, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images) (Logan Bowles/Getty Images)
The move comes after wide receiver DeAndre Carter, who wore the number for Cleveland last season, is no longer on the roster. Now that he has a year under his belt, Sanders can make the change.
And he does so with his old college number, as Sanders wore number 2 at Jackson State University before transferring to Colorado, as his father did Deion SandersHe took on the head coaching role with the Buffaloes.
SHEDEUR SANDERS’ WILD 2025 STARTED WITH A DRAFT CASE, BUT IT ENDES WITH HOPE AFTER TUMULTUAL TWISTS
While he wore No. 12 last season, Sanders began the year in an important role as veteran Joe Flacco was Kevin Stefanski’s starting quarterback. But when Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals following Joe Burrow’s injury, Dillon Gabriel, drafted two rounds ahead of Sanders in a shocking NFL Draft by the Buffaloes, took over the role.
He would be Gabriel’s replacement, but after his struggles and injuries, it was time for Sanders to step up.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders reacts on the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Sanders won his first ever start against the Las Vegas Raiders and posted a 3-4 record in seven starts, remaining the starter for the remainder of the season. Stefanski has since been fired; Head coach Todd Monken was hired, and the veteran coach, who served as John Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens, reiterated what the Browns had said for 2026 – there will be an open quarterback competition.
Monken told NFL Network at the NFL owners’ meeting in Phoenix on Monday that the Browns “haven’t gotten that far yet” in terms of naming Sanders their starter for the team’s offseason program.
Deshaun Watson, who has had a tumultuous tenure with the Browns, is back on the roster, while Gabriel is healthy again until 2026.
Sanders is certainly aware that he’ll have to prove himself again with a new coaching staff in the building, because that’s ultimately the nature of the NFL, barring a rare group of certified starters.
Shedeur Sanders (12) and Teven Jenkins (74) of the Cleveland Browns celebrate a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 7, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
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But Sanders already has a Pro Bowl under his belt, despite the small sample size on the NFL gridiron. He wants to build on the momentum from last season, but it will be a fresh start with a new number.
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