The Cleveland Browns are seemingly close to finding a new head coach, but they have already had multiple candidates pull their names from the search.
While that could indicate that the candidates knew the franchise was going in another direction, some have argued that it speaks to how undesirable the Cleveland job is. That may be an overstated critcique, though. The Browns, after all, do have a top defense and a Pro Bowl quarterback.
Yes, Cleveland has a Pro Bowl quarterback, after rookie Shedeur Sanders was added to the Pro Bowl roster as an alternate on Monday. With Drake Maye and the New England Patriots making a trip to the Super Bowl, and several other AFC quarterbacks dealing with injuries, Sanders was selected as a replacement option. So yes, the Browns do have an elite defense and a Pro Bowl quarterback, but that’s not a pitch anyone is going to buy.
Sources: #Browns QB Shedeur Sanders has been added to the Pro Bowl roster as a replacement.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 26, 2026
Sanders is the first 5th-round rookie to make a Pro Bowl since Puka Nacua. pic.twitter.com/RTDy0J9l1f
Don’t expect Shedeur Sanders’ Pro Bowl status to change how head coach candidates view Cleveland
The fifth-round pick finished his rookie season with seven starts and another half worth of play, after entering a game at the start of the third quarter because of a Dillon Gabriel injury. In those eight games, Sanders completed 56.6 percent of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, while rushing for 169 yards and an additional touchdown. He had the highs and lows that most talented rookie quarterbacks have, but he didn’t have what’s typically considered a Pro Bowl season.
NFL fans were quick to point that out on Monday, and like anything involving Sanders, people reacted dramatically. In reality, this kind of alternate selection is nothing new. Tyler Huntley infamously made the Pro Bowl as a replacement in 2022, after starting just four games with the Baltimore Ravens, and appearing in two others. So while Sanders will naturally draw a ton of outrage, this is more or less par for the course.
It’s clear, though, that everyone sees through this accolade, so it’s not something the Browns will be able to brag about or pitch to coaching candidates. However, Sanders is an interesting factor in the equation of the Browns’ job, and a potential coach could see something in the quarterback, regardless of the Pro Bowl status.
If that’s the case, Sanders could be on his way to more deserved Pro Bowl appearances with Cleveland’s next head coach.