Shedeur Sanders completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns in his NFL debut as the Cleveland Browns defeated the Carolina Panthers 30-10 on August 8, 2025, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The fifth-round rookie entered the game fourth on Cleveland’s depth chart, finished with a 106.8 passer rating, and led three scoring drives across nearly three quarters of action — a performance that drew responses from LeBron James and Deion Sanders on social media before the final whistle.
Table of Contents
Game Information
Detail
Info
Date
August 8, 2025
Kickoff
7:00 PM ET
Venue
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Attendance
71,205
Broadcast
NFL Network
Referee
Clay Martin
Final Score
Team
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Final
Cleveland Browns
0
14
7
9
30
Carolina Panthers
7
0
0
3
10
Scoring Summary
Time
Score
Play
Drive
Q1 — 3:36
CLE 0, CAR 7
Jalen Coker 5-yd pass from Bryce Young (Matthew Wright kick)
9 plays, 73 yards, 4:35
Q2 — 14:54
CLE 7, CAR 7
Kaden Davis 7-yd pass from Shedeur Sanders (Dustin Hopkins kick)
2 plays, 10 yards, 0:42
Q2 — 1:04
CLE 14, CAR 7
Kaden Davis 12-yd pass from Shedeur Sanders (Dustin Hopkins kick)
5 plays, 60 yards, 1:58
Q3 — 3:55
CLE 21, CAR 7
Gage Larvadain 4-yd rush (Dustin Hopkins kick)
6 plays, 43 yards, 3:43
Q4 — 13:01
CLE 24, CAR 7
Dustin Hopkins 23-yd field goal
9 plays, 52 yards, 4:11
Q4 — 6:03
CLE 30, CAR 7
Cade McDonald 6-yd pass from Tyler Huntley (Dustin Hopkins PAT failed)
10 plays, 59 yards, 4:51
Q4 — 1:57
CLE 30, CAR 10
Ryan Fitzgerald 32-yd field goal
9 plays, 60 yards, 4:06
Team Stats
Stat
Cleveland Browns
Carolina Panthers
Total Yards
308
251
Passing Yards
183
211
Rushing Yards
125
40
Total Plays
66
53
Yards per Play
4.7
4.7
Completions / Attempts
20/31
23/35
Yards per Pass
5.4
5.4
Interceptions Thrown
0
1
Sacks — Yards Lost
3 — 6 yds
4 — 27 yds
Rushing Attempts
32
14
Yards per Rush
3.9
2.9
1st Downs
20
13
Passing 1st Downs
8
11
Rushing 1st Downs
11
1
1st Downs from Penalties
1
1
3rd Down Efficiency
6/15 (40%)
3/12 (25%)
4th Down Efficiency
1/2
0/1
Red Zone (Made-Att)
4/5
1/2
Turnovers
0
2
Fumbles Lost
0
1
Penalties
6 — 34 yds
6 — 60 yds
Time of Possession
34:28
25:32
Defensive / Special Teams TDs
0
0
Cleveland Browns Player Stats
Passing
Player
C/ATT
YDS
AVG
TD
INT
SACKS
RTG
Shedeur Sanders
14/23
138
6.0
2
0
2–6
106.8
Tyler Huntley
6/8
51
6.4
1
0
1–0
130.7
Team
20/31
183
6.1
3
0
3–6
113.5
Rushing
Player
CAR
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
Ahmani Marshall
8
32
4.0
0
11
Toa Taua
5
30
6.0
0
12
Trayveon Williams
5
26
5.2
0
13
Shedeur Sanders
4
19
4.8
0
10
Tyler Huntley
6
10
1.7
0
9
Dylan Sampson
2
6
3.0
0
5
Gage Larvadain
1
4
4.0
1
4
Kaden Davis
1
–2
–2.0
0
–2
Team
32
125
3.9
1
13
Receiving
Player
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
TGTS
Sal Cannella
3
32
10.7
0
19
4
Brenden Bates
2
30
15.0
0
25
3
Luke Floriea
1
30
30.0
0
30
2
Kaden Davis
3
23
7.7
2
12
3
Gage Larvadain
2
23
11.5
0
19
3
Trayveon Williams
2
17
8.5
0
15
2
Toa Taua
2
16
8.0
0
9
2
Cade McDonald
2
11
5.5
1
6
2
Jamari Thrash
2
9
4.5
0
11
2
Ahmani Marshall
1
–2
–2.0
0
–2
1
Team
20
189
9.5
3
30
31
Carolina Panthers Player Stats
Passing
Player
C/ATT
YDS
AVG
TD
INT
SACKS
RTG
Bryce Young
4/6
58
9.7
1
0
1–1
137.5
Jack Plummer
6/10
79
7.9
0
0
1–9
85.0
Andy Dalton
13/19
101
5.3
0
1
2–17
59.3
Team
23/35
211
6.8
1
1
4–27
82.8
Rushing
Player
CAR
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
Emani Bailey
3
21
7.0
0
19
Chuba Hubbard
3
10
3.3
0
6
Rico Dowdle
3
7
2.3
0
3
Trevor Etienne
2
3
1.5
0
3
Raheem Blackshear
1
0
0.0
0
0
Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams
2
–1
–0.5
0
0
Team
14
40
2.9
0
19
Receiving
Player
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
TGTS
Tetairoa McMillan
2
43
21.5
0
30
5
T.J. Luther
2
34
17.0
0
26
2
David Moore
2
26
13.0
0
17
6
James Mitchell
3
25
8.3
0
12
4
Rico Dowdle
1
20
20.0
0
20
1
Jalen Coker
2
17
8.5
1
12
4
Jimmy Horn Jr.
4
15
3.8
0
9
5
Trevor Etienne
1
14
14.0
0
14
1
Dominique Dafney
1
11
11.0
0
11
1
Adam Thielen
1
10
10.0
0
10
1
Kobe Hudson
1
7
7.0
0
7
1
Jacolby George
1
7
7.0
0
7
1
Mitchell Evans
1
5
5.0
0
5
1
Raheem Blackshear
1
4
4.0
0
4
1
Chuba Hubbard
0
0
—
0
—
1
Team
23
238
10.3
1
30
35
Defensive Stats
Cleveland Browns Defense
Player
TOT
SOLO
SACKS
TFL
PD
QB HTS
Adin Huntington
6
5
1.0
1
0
2
Carson Schwesinger
6
3
0
0
0
0
Christopher Edmonds
4
3
0
0
1
0
Winston Reid
4
2
0
0
0
0
Nathaniel Watson
4
2
0
0
0
0
Easton Mascarenas-Arnold
4
2
0
1
0
0
Chigozie Anusiem
3
3
0
0
0
0
LaMareon James
3
3
0
0
0
0
Tony Brown II
3
1
0
0
1
0
Donovan McMillon
3
1
0
0
1
0
Myles Harden
3
1
0
0
0
0
Dom Jones
3
0
0
0
1
0
Julian Okwara
2
2
2.0
2
0
2
KJ Henry
2
2
0
1
0
1
Alex Wright
2
1
1.0
1
0
1
Jerome Baker
1
1
0
0
0
0
Cameron Thomas
1
1
0
1
0
1
Keenan Isaac
1
1
0
0
0
0
Cade McDonald
1
1
0
0
0
0
Rex Sunahara
1
0
0
0
0
0
Sam Kamara
1
0
0
0
0
0
Trayveon Williams
1
0
0
0
0
0
Devin Bush
1
0
0
0
0
0
Ralph Holley
1
0
0
0
0
0
Jowon Briggs
1
0
0
0
0
0
Mason Graham
1
0
0
0
0
0
Nik Needham
0
0
0
0
1
0
Team
63
35
4.0
7
5
7
Carolina Panthers Defense
Player
TOT
SOLO
SACKS
TFL
PD
QB HTS
Thomas Incoom
5
5
1.0
0
0
1
Michael Reid
5
4
0
0
0
0
Isaac Gifford
5
3
0
0
0
0
Corey Thornton
4
4
0
1
1
0
Lathan Ransom
4
3
0
0
0
0
DJ Johnson
4
2
0
0
0
0
Bam Martin-Scott
4
2
0
0
0
0
Demani Richardson
3
2
1.0
1
0
1
Bobby Brown III
3
2
0
1
0
0
Trevian Thomas
3
2
0
1
0
0
Princely Umanmielen
3
1
0
0
0
0
Nic Scourton
2
2
1.0
2
0
0
Shy Tuttle
2
1
0
0
0
1
Christian Rozeboom
2
1
0
0
0
0
Krys Barnes
2
1
0
0
0
0
Sam Roberts
2
1
0
0
1
0
Jaden Crumedy
2
1
0
0
0
0
Nick Scott
1
1
0
0
0
0
Boogie Basham
1
1
0
0
0
0
David Moore
1
1
0
0
0
0
Tre Swilling
1
1
0
0
0
0
Shemar Bartholomew
1
1
0
0
1
0
Jacoby Windmon
1
1
0
0
0
0
Trevin Wallace
1
1
0
0
0
0
Cam Jackson
1
1
0
0
0
0
Chau Smith-Wade
1
1
0
0
0
0
D.J. Wonnum
1
0
0
0
0
1
JaTravis Broughton
1
0
0
0
0
0
J.J. Weaver
1
0
0
0
0
0
Jack Henderson
1
0
0
0
0
0
Patrick Jones II
0
0
0
0
0
1
Team
68
46
3.0
6
3
5
Turnovers
Interceptions
Team
Player
INT
YDS
TD
Cleveland
Nik Needham
1
0
0
Carolina
—
0
—
—
Fumbles
Team
Player
FUM
LOST
REC
Cleveland
Luke Floriea
1
0
1
Cleveland
Nathaniel Watson
0
0
1
Carolina
Trevor Etienne
1
1
0
Special Teams
Kicking
Player
Team
FG
PCT
LG
XP
PTS
Dustin Hopkins
CLE
1/1
100.0%
23 yds
3/4
6
Ryan Fitzgerald
CAR
1/1
100.0%
32 yds
0/0
3
Matthew Wright
CAR
0/0
—
—
1/1
1
Punting
Player
Team
NO
YDS
AVG
TB
In 20
LG
Corey Bojorquez
CLE
5
255
51.0
0
2
62
Sam Martin
CAR
7
355
50.7
0
3
59
Punt Returns
Player
Team
NO
YDS
AVG
LG
TD
Gage Larvadain
CLE
2
38
19.0
30
0
Kaden Davis
CLE
1
16
16.0
16
0
Luke Floriea
CLE
2
9
4.5
5
0
CLE Team
5
63
12.6
30
0
T.J. Luther
CAR
1
8
8.0
8
0
Trevor Etienne
CAR
2
7
3.5
7
0
Raheem Blackshear
CAR
1
2
2.0
2
0
Jimmy Horn Jr.
CAR
1
0
0.0
0
0
CAR Team
5
17
3.4
8
0
Kick Returns
Player
Team
NO
YDS
AVG
LG
TD
Luke Floriea
CLE
1
25
25.0
25
0
Kaden Davis
CLE
1
15
15.0
15
0
Trayveon Williams
CLE
1
13
13.0
13
0
CLE Team
3
53
17.7
25
0
Jimmy Horn Jr.
CAR
2
29
14.5
19
0
Trevor Etienne
CAR
1
20
20.0
20
0
T.J. Luther
CAR
1
17
17.0
17
0
Raheem Blackshear
CAR
1
15
15.0
15
0
CAR Team
5
81
16.2
20
0
Cleveland’s 20-point margin reflected three areas where the Browns held a decisive edge: zero turnovers against Carolina’s two (one interception off Andy Dalton, one lost fumble by Trevor Etienne), a 4-of-5 red zone conversion rate against the Panthers’ 1-of-2, and a 34:28-to-25:32 time-of-possession advantage built on 32 rushing attempts for 125 yards. Carolina managed just 40 yards on the ground across 14 carries, and Dalton absorbed 17 yards in sack losses alone across two sacks while operating behind an offensive line that surrendered four sacks on the night as a unit.
Cornelia Lindqvist is a Swedish-American sports journalist with 4 years of experience covering professional athletics. She previously worked at Sports Illustrated before joining Newzire. Cornelia reports on the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, international football, and cricket, covering game results, roster moves, trade deals, playoff standings, and player statistics. Her sports analysis background helps readers understand the strategies and numbers behind wins and losses.
