Shedeur Sanders Breaks History, Leaves Cam Ward in the Shadows
Alright, that’s enough narrative-spinning with QB wins (not a stat). But Shedeur Sanders did, in fact, lead the Browns to a win in his professional debut against the Raiders. That win made franchise history, and it was a real favor for Sanders’ buddy in Tennessee.
Shedeur Sanders Breaks History, Leaves Cam Ward in the Shadows
The name of the game for the Tennessee Titans the rest of this season is showing as much progress as possible while maintaining their position atop the NFL Draft order. Through 12 weeks, it’s been so far, so good on that second part. They’re 1-10 and alone in the driver’s seat for the first overall pick.
As for improvement, well, this week’s loss to the Seahawks was easily the best performance of Ward's NFL career when considering the degree of difficulty. He put up a better performance against a ferocious Seattle defense than a lot of good QBs have this year, and he did it with a much worse collection of pieces around him than most (all?) of those quarterbacks.
Toeing that line of impressive play while still losing will get tricky down the stretch if they actually trend up as a team. And with a handful of the bottom-feeder competition for draft positioning on their schedule, it’s especially crucial to lose to them. They did so against the 2-9 Raiders in Week 6, and they have the 3-8 Browns and 2-9 Saints left to play.
But it’s thanks to Ward’s friend, Sanders, doing something no Browns QB has done in their debut since the franchise moved back to Cleveland, that his team has three wins.
That’s right, neither Sanders nor Ward was born the last time a Browns QB won their debut. That’s a lot of losses because they’ve gone through a ton of QBs. And with the Raiders already earning a win and the Titans earning a loss in their matchup earlier this year, it’s ideal for Tennessee that the Browns got a third win before these two face off in two weeks.
It might be a stretch to say Sanders was the reason the Browns won. He certainly benefited from playing a downright awful opponent and having a legitimately great defense on his side. He tallied 209 yards on 21 dropbacks, for one touchdown and one interception. That’s a perfectly normal traditional stat line. His advanced stats tell a worse story, however, -0.21 EPA/dropback isn’t great.
It’s his first start, though, and he’s allowed to have room to grow. He made some promising plays, including this one:
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski seemed to walk back his stance on who the Browns starter would be going forward, declining to commit to Sanders or Gabriel after the win.
Last week, before the game, he told reporters that Gabriel would return to the starting lineup when healthy. Perhaps we’ll see Sanders vs. Ward in Week 14 yet.
In a move that instantly sent shockwaves across the NFL, a former San Francisco 49ers head coach has been relieved of his duties. The move brought back some somber memories for some 49ers fans.
In a move that instantly sent shockwaves across the NFL, a former San Francisco 49ers head coach has been relieved of his duties. The move brought back some somber memories for some 49ers fans.
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The Las Vegas Raiders have fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly — the same Chip Kelly who infamously coached the San Francisco 49ers to a franchise-worst 2-14 record in 2016. The decision came late Sunday night following a 24-10 blowout loss to the Cleveland Browns, dropping Vegas to 2-9 on the season.
2016 All Over Again: The 49ers Nightmare Returns for Chip Kelly
San Francisco 49ers fans know this script by heart.
Hired in January 2016 to replace Jim Tomsula and bring his revolutionary Oregon offense to the NFL, Chip Kelly instead delivered the darkest season in modern 49ers history. A Week 1 shutout of the Rams offered false hope, but what followed was a soul-crushing 13-game losing streak — the longest in franchise history. By the time Black Monday arrived in 2017, both Kelly and GM Trent Baalke were gone, leaving the 49ers in ashes.
Nearly nine years later, the man who once stood at the podium in Santa Clara promising a new era has been fired again — this time by a hated AFC West rival that shares the same division history with the 49ers dating back to the old AFL days.
Why the Raiders Pulled the Plug on Chip Kelly
The numbers were ugly and getting uglier:
- Dead last in points per game (14.2)
- Dead last in rushing yards per game (78.3)
- Six straight games being outscored by double digits
Sources inside the Raiders organization told ESPN that owner Mark Davis made the call immediately after Sunday’s loss. “It’s the same issues we saw with the 49ers,” one source said. “Great in theory, doesn’t work when defenses adjust.”
From National Champion to Unemployed in 11 Months
Kelly’s 2025 journey has been one of the wildest in coaching history:
- February: Demoted himself from UCLA head coach to Ohio State OC
- January 2025: Wins national championship with the Buckeyes
- March 2025: Hired by Raiders on a lucrative three-year deal
- November 24, 2025: Fired after 11 games
49ers Fans Celebrate the Ultimate Karma
Across the Bay Area and on social media, 49ers Faithful wasted no time reveling in the news.
“Raiders just paid $5 million a year to live our 2016 nightmare.” “Chip Kelly got fired by a team we hate — best Monday ever.” “Levi’s Stadium sends its regards.”
For a franchise that spent years digging out of the hole left by Kelly’s single season, watching a rival inherit the same chaos feels like sweet revenge.
What’s Next for the Raiders and the Legacy of Chip Kelly?
Quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello has been named interim offensive coordinator as the Raiders limp toward a lost season. Meanwhile, the 49ers — now 8-3 and in firm control of the NFC West under Kyle Shanahan — couldn’t have scripted a better subplot.
History will remember Chip Kelly as the man who turned a proud 49ers franchise upside down in 2016. Now, nearly a decade later, a divisional rival just paid the price for believing the hype all over again.
