CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders didn’t disappoint in his highly anticipated NFL debut.

Sanders, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, got the start and threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes in the Browns’ 30-10 preseason-opening win over the Carolina Panthers on Friday night.

Sanders threw his first touchdown on a 7-yard pass to wide receiver Kaden Davis on the first play of the second quarter, threading the ball through a tight window in the back corner of the end zone. Cleveland’s offense capitalized on a short field after the Browns recovered a muffed punt deep in the red zone, converting their fourth possession into points. The touchdown prompted a quick celebration from the elder Sanders on social media.

Yes Lawd! Yes! @ShedeurSanders

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) August 8, 2025

Toward the end of the first half, Sanders then found Davis again on a touchdown pass, this time from 12 yards.

In a little less than three quarters, Sanders completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns, and he added 23 rushing yards. Sanders was on the field for 45 plays — Browns coach Kevin Stefanski had said the rookie would get about 50 snaps — before Tyler Huntley, who was signed Tuesday after multiple quarterback injuries, entered the game with 2:12 remaining in the third quarter.

“I’m comfortable with being uncomfortable, so that’s what it is,” Sanders said. “I got pockets of finding my rhythm and I got to get into that quicker, regardless of anything. But overall, I felt like me out there, and I couldn’t do it, of course, without the time. I couldn’t do it without the playcalling. I couldn’t do without anything.”

He said he wasn’t nervous coming in, adding that his good moments in the second quarter were due to “just getting comfortable.”

“Did I play up to par? No, I don’t feel like I did,” he said. “But overall, the main goal was to win, and that’s honestly what we did.”

The Browns sat the majority of their starters Friday night, so Sanders took the field with a group of second- and third-string players he has practiced with throughout training camp. The Panthers played most of their starters for about two drives.

“Pleased with Shedeur, pleased with the offense,” Stefanski said. “Again, not perfect. Plenty that we can work on. But I thought the guys did a really nice job of Shedeur operating, the guys making plays. So, again, a ton to teach on.”

Sanders was regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL draft before dropping to the fifth round, where the Browns selected him with the 144th pick. He was the second quarterback Cleveland took, after Dillon Gabriel, who was picked in the third round.

In the first three weeks of training camp, Sanders has been QB4 in the Browns’ quarterback competition, getting practice reps behind Gabriel, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Sanders hasn’t received any reps with the first-team offense. However, the Browns sat Flacco, who has taken most of the first-team reps, and Pickett and Gabriel were sidelined because of hamstring injuries, paving the way for Sanders to start Friday.

Stefanski has said he is hopeful that Pickett and Gabriel will be able to fully participate in a pair of joint practices with the Eagles in Philadelphia next week.

Stefanski was noncommittal after the game on how Sanders’ performance would impact the quarterback competition.

“We’re really just focused on developing our players. We’re in evaluation mode,” Stefanski said. “I’m pleased with where the guys are, but I’m not diving into a quarterback competition.”