Shedeur Sanders had bittersweet emotions despite helping the Cleveland Browns pull off the 13-6 upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday afternoon.
Sanders is going through the final stretch of his rookie campaign, having made strides in improving Cleveland’s offense while learning from his mistakes via interceptions and sacks. He completed 17 passes out of 23 attempts for 186 yards and a touchdown and two interceptions while adding four rushes for 20 yards.
The rookie quarterback reflected on the team’s win after the game, per reporter Mary Kay Cabot. He was happy to get the win in front of the home crowd but also felt bittersweet due to how better he and the offense could have been.
“It felt good getting a win overall and especially the team we won against. I think it’s been bittersweet because I feel like the offense, we got to do our part. I got to do my part a little bit more, we can’t be happy with only 13 points on the board. So, we just got to be able to put up more points,” Sanders said.
#Browns Shedeur Sanders was happy with the win over the #Steelers but it was “bittersweet” for this reason: pic.twitter.com/p3gMQbNagg
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) December 28, 2025
How Shedeur Sanders, Browns played against Steelers
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Shedeur Sanders has secured the second win of his career, his first home win with the Browns. Beating the Steelers, a historic division rival, was the cherry on top no matter how he tries to spin it.
Cleveland landed the first major punch, taking a 10-0 lead after the first quarter. Even though the offense went silent before finally converting a field goal in the fourth quarter, the defense came through in big fashion as they delayed Pittsburgh’s chances of locking up the AFC North Division title for another week.
Jerry Jeudy stood out as Sanders’ best target in the receiving game, making five catches for 54 yards. Harold Fannin Jr. came next with two receptions for 30 yards and a touchdown, while Cedric Tillman caught a 42-yard pass.
Cleveland improved to a 4-12 record on the season but remain at the bottom of the AFC North Division standings. They stay behind the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens and Steelers. In terms of the AFC standings, they sit at 13th place. They are above the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets while trailing the Kansas City Chiefs and Bengals.
The Browns will look to end the regular season on a positive note, being on the road. They face the Bengals as kickoff will take place on Jan. 4 at 1 p.m. ET.
