These 4 Browns rookies just pulled off something the NFL has never seen

Oftentimes, when a team is in a rough patch, fans will spend the offseason discussing how difficult the upcoming season will be. Call it what you want — rebuilding, tanking, resetting — the idea is the same: we're going to stink this year. Yet, somehow, as the season wears on, the disappointment still appears after every loss.

Fans want blood. The coaches? Gone. Players? Cut. Management? Fire them! It makes sense on an emotional level. Despite the fact that the season had bottom-of-the-barrel expectations, the practice of actually watching the team wallow in misery and get thoroughly outplayed in more than two-thirds of its games is depressing. Meanwhile, there are always other teams that are surging, proudly displaying what competent and functional franchises look like.

I'm here to tell you that despite a deplorable season that fans were all too happy to see come to a merciful end, there's reason for hope. And it's tangible.

This incredible Browns feat is giving fans a reason to smile again

The 2025 Cleveland Browns were the first franchise since the 1970 merger to have rookie leaders in four of the most significant statistical categories: passing, rushing, receiving, and tackles.

Leading the way at quarterback was none other than fan favorite Shedeur Sanders. The fifth-round pick arrived in Cleveland with a storm of hype. Despite the fact that the Browns drafted another signal-caller before him, Sanders wound up starting the most games in 2025. His stats — 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions — hardly secured him the starting nod for 2026, but at times he certainly flashed.

The best performance by Sanders would have to be in Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans. He wound up throwing for 364 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in what was ultimately a heartbreaking loss. This was also the infamous "Kevin Stefanski two-point conversion game."

As far as rushing, Quinshon Judkins burst onto the scene with a couple of standout games to start the season. As the campaign wore on, defenses seemed to realize the Browns had a really hard time throwing the football, making Judkins' production plummet as he was forced to run into eight-man boxes on a consistent basis. Nonetheless, he finished the season with 230 carries, 827 yards (3.6 average), and seven touchdowns.

His best game would be the Browns' enormous upset of the Green Bay Packers back in Week 3. Judkins ran 18 times for 94 yards (5.2 average) and scored the Browns' only touchdown of the day. Unfortunately, he suffered a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle in Week 15 against Buffalo, which precluded him from reaching 1,000 yards. The prognosis is a four-to-six month recovery, which means he has a great chance of being ready for 2026.

Back before the season, many wondered who would be there to catch passes for any of the Browns' QBs in 2025. Yes, Jerry Jeudy would be coming back after his career-best season in 2024, but the other receivers were wildly unproven at that point. The Browns' third-round pick, Harold Fannin Jr., emerged in training camp and didn't lose steam, leading the team in receiving at year's end.

Fannin's final statline — 72 grabs, 731 yards (10.2 average), and a team-leading six touchdowns — was a breath of fresh air for a passing game seemingly stuck in the 1970s. In the same heartbreaker in which Sanders played his best game, Fannin Jr. was right there with him. He finished the contest with eight receptions, 114 yards (14.3 average), and a touchdown.

Last but most certainly not least, the Browns nabbed Carson Schwesinger early in the second round, and let's just say if what the rookie put on tape this year is the beginning, the Browns may have a budding superstar on their hands. The betting favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year hit the ground running to the tune of 156 combined tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and a pair of interceptions.

Schwesinger flashed three-down ability with undeniable instincts. In the Browns' Week 11 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, Schwesinger was a huge reason they almost pulled off the upset. He racked up 11 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, and an interception of two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. The Browns may have questions about their quarterback, but the quarterback of their defense seems to be here to stay.

Browns fans have every right to be upset. This team has been the source of a lot of pain and misery in recent years. While it may be hard to see right now, there is some hope on the horizon. The Browns finally have a young nucleus of talent, and they'll have the opportunity to add to it with premium picks come draft time.

Hang in there, Browns fans. Things will get better — they have to. Besides, they can't get much worse.