Colorado University Athletics
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Shedeur Sanders Has Record-Setting Performance For Browns
December 08, 2025 | Football
CLEVELAND — In just his third career NFL start, Shedeur Sanders delivered a historic performance that stamped his name all over the Cleveland Browns' record book and placing himself among the most productive rookie quarterbacks in league history.
Sanders threw for 364 yards, tied for the third-most by a Browns rookie in a single game, while adding three touchdown passes and a rushing score. No player in franchise history had ever combined 300-plus passing yards, three touchdown throws, and a rushing touchdown in the same game prior to Sunday. His three passing touchdowns tied for the second-most by a Browns rookie in a game.
Sanders also became the first Browns quarterback to record three passing touchdowns and a rushing TD in a game since Derek Anderson accomplished the feat in Week 6 of the 2007 season. League-wide, the NFL confirmed that Sanders joined Joe Burrow as the only rookie quarterbacks ever to produce at least 350 passing yards, three touchdown passes, and a rushing score in a game in the Super Bowl era.
Perhaps motivated by his draft slide, going in the fifth round, the 364 passing yards mark the second-most by any rookie quarterback drafted 144th or later since 1966, trailing only Gardner Minshew's 374-yard output in 2019.
Historic Among Buffaloes in the NFL
Sanders' performance wasn't just unprecedented in Cleveland — it also reset the standard for former Colorado Buffaloes quarterbacks in the NFL. His 364 passing yards are the most in league history by a former CU player, surpassing the high-water marks of Buffaloes legend Kordell Stewart. It was only the fourth 300-yard passing game ever recorded by a CU alumnus in the NFL, with the previous three all belonging to Stewart.
Sanders' three touchdown passes also matched the most ever by a former CU player, a feat achieved six times prior — five by Stewart and once by Koy Detmer. His four total touchdowns tied for the second-most in a game by a Buff in the NFL; Stewart twice posted games with five total TDs (three passing, two rushing) and twice had games identical to Sanders' line of three passing and one rushing score.Â
A Rookie Season Gaining National Footing
Sanders' outing represents the most passing yards by a rookie since C.J. Stroud set the rookie NFL record in 2023, and the sixth-most yards by a rookie quarterback this decade, joining Stroud (two games in 2023), Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow (2020), and Mike White (2021). It ranks as the 38th-most passing yards by a rookie quarterback in NFL history.
He's also rapidly elevating Cleveland's explosive-play profile. The Browns produced four completions of 30 yards or more, their most in almost a year. Sanders now accounts for eight of the Browns' 10 such plays this season despite just three games of action.
With four weeks left, Sanders has four opportunities to match-up against a mix of young stars and legendary NFL quarterbacks, starting with a trip to Chicago next week (second-year player Caleb Williams) followed by a home game against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. Â They will then host Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh before facing Burrow and the Bengals in an in-state matchup to close out the regular season.
Sanders and Williams battled back in the 2023 season when USC visited Boulder, a shootout with USC winning, 48-41. Â Williams had 403 yards and 6 passing touchdowns while Sanders had 371 yards and 4 touchdowns of his own. Â The game was the most credentialed game in CU history with just under 900 media covering the game.
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Sanders threw for 364 yards, tied for the third-most by a Browns rookie in a single game, while adding three touchdown passes and a rushing score. No player in franchise history had ever combined 300-plus passing yards, three touchdown throws, and a rushing touchdown in the same game prior to Sunday. His three passing touchdowns tied for the second-most by a Browns rookie in a game.
Sanders also became the first Browns quarterback to record three passing touchdowns and a rushing TD in a game since Derek Anderson accomplished the feat in Week 6 of the 2007 season. League-wide, the NFL confirmed that Sanders joined Joe Burrow as the only rookie quarterbacks ever to produce at least 350 passing yards, three touchdown passes, and a rushing score in a game in the Super Bowl era.
Perhaps motivated by his draft slide, going in the fifth round, the 364 passing yards mark the second-most by any rookie quarterback drafted 144th or later since 1966, trailing only Gardner Minshew's 374-yard output in 2019.
Historic Among Buffaloes in the NFL
Sanders' performance wasn't just unprecedented in Cleveland — it also reset the standard for former Colorado Buffaloes quarterbacks in the NFL. His 364 passing yards are the most in league history by a former CU player, surpassing the high-water marks of Buffaloes legend Kordell Stewart. It was only the fourth 300-yard passing game ever recorded by a CU alumnus in the NFL, with the previous three all belonging to Stewart.
Sanders' three touchdown passes also matched the most ever by a former CU player, a feat achieved six times prior — five by Stewart and once by Koy Detmer. His four total touchdowns tied for the second-most in a game by a Buff in the NFL; Stewart twice posted games with five total TDs (three passing, two rushing) and twice had games identical to Sanders' line of three passing and one rushing score.Â
A Rookie Season Gaining National Footing
Sanders' outing represents the most passing yards by a rookie since C.J. Stroud set the rookie NFL record in 2023, and the sixth-most yards by a rookie quarterback this decade, joining Stroud (two games in 2023), Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow (2020), and Mike White (2021). It ranks as the 38th-most passing yards by a rookie quarterback in NFL history.
He's also rapidly elevating Cleveland's explosive-play profile. The Browns produced four completions of 30 yards or more, their most in almost a year. Sanders now accounts for eight of the Browns' 10 such plays this season despite just three games of action.
With four weeks left, Sanders has four opportunities to match-up against a mix of young stars and legendary NFL quarterbacks, starting with a trip to Chicago next week (second-year player Caleb Williams) followed by a home game against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. Â They will then host Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh before facing Burrow and the Bengals in an in-state matchup to close out the regular season.
Sanders and Williams battled back in the 2023 season when USC visited Boulder, a shootout with USC winning, 48-41. Â Williams had 403 yards and 6 passing touchdowns while Sanders had 371 yards and 4 touchdowns of his own. Â The game was the most credentialed game in CU history with just under 900 media covering the game.
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