Shedeur Sanders praises Cavaliers' playoff push while buried in Browns playbook - "I couldn't even watch the game"

The Cleveland Browns are entering a quieter part of their offseason after the 2025 draft. However, the city is immersed in a playoff run, as the Cleveland Cavaliers are playing the Indiana Pacers during the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the NBA Playoffs.

The Cavaliers led the Eastern Conference for the entire regular season and hold the first seed in the playoff bracket. They defeated the Miami Heat 4-0 in the first round but are in trouble against the Pacers, who won the first two games played in Cleveland. The Cavaliers stormed back on Friday, winning Game 3 in Indiana.

Speaking with reporters during the Browns' minicamp, Sanders was asked whether he was following the Cavaliers' playoff run. The rookie quarterback admitted he didn't watch the game but gave a good reason to it:

“I seen they won yesterday, But like I said, I was focused on the playbook. I couldn't even watch the game, so that’s pretty much it. But I respect. I respect everything they're doing, and the downtown. The poster is real nice on there. That's really cool.”

The Cavaliers were the last Cleveland team to win a major championship, doing so in 2016 in an epic NBA Finals contest. The last Browns' title happened in 1964 — the franchise hasn't won a title during Super Bowl era.

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Shedeur Sanders isn't likely to start for the Browns in 2025

Former Browns coach and current analyst Eric Mangini believes the franchise shouldn't worry about putting Shedeur Sanders on the field. Instead, Mangini advocates for the franchise to simply play whoever gives them the best chance to win:

“If it's Flacco, if it's Gabriel, they should play whoever they feel is gonna give them the best chance to win because playing Shedeur, and him going in and not being the best guy, is not gonna save their jobs.”

The rookie quarterback entered a crowded quarterback room, with Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett as veterans and Dillon Gabriel as another rookie. Deshaun Watson is also on the roster but isn't expected to play in 2025 due to an injury.

With so many options and with a steep learning curve ahead, Shedeur isn't likely to see game time this season.