Browns’ Shedeur Sanders sounds off on his injury, Quinshon Judkins’ season-ending surgery

Just when the Cleveland Browns appeared to be building something positive late in a difficult season, Sunday’s 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills delivered another harsh reminder of how fragile momentum can be.

Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders showed flashes that again fueled optimism about his long-term potential, but injuries to both Sanders and fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins overshadowed the performance.

Sanders was off to a promising start against one of the NFL’s top teams, helping Cleveland hang with Buffalo early and even outpacing Josh Allen on the ground.

That progress stalled midway through the game when Sanders suffered a painful finger injury while throwing. After initially attempting to stay in the game, blood could be seen pouring from his right pinky, eventually forcing him to the locker room. Afterward, Sanders explained exactly how the injury unfolded, giving insight into how sudden the moment was.

“I don’t know. My pinky was just like I put in my hand warm,” said Sanders. “I mean why is it [finger] not getting warm then like I threw Quinshon like a little route down there. Then it like kind of was a little high and I was like ding.”

Despite the setback, head coach Kevin Stefanski praised Sanders’ toughness, noting his willingness to battle through pain and extend plays with his legs. Stefanski emphasized that while Sanders still has room to grow, his resilience continues to stand out.

“Sanders battled like he does,” Stefanski said. “I thought he made some unbelievable plays with his feet today, which I thought going in the game that may be the case. He’ll fight through injuries…but really proud of how he fought.”

The Browns’ situation worsened moments later when Judkins suffered a gruesome lower-leg injury on a short pass from Sanders.

Judkins was carted off with a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula, an injury that will require surgery and end his rookie season. Sanders was visibly shaken by seeing his teammate go down, explaining the emotional toll in detail.

“It really hurt that Quinshon went down like that,” Sanders said. “Me and Quinshon was in the room talking yesterday till like 11-11:30, just about life, just about everything. Just building that bond with the rookie class, having that be the new energy, and kind of staying on track with everything. I’m definitely sad because I’m like, ‘I can’t throw this slant. They’re covering it.”

Judkins finished with 22 rushing yards and 29 receiving yards before the injury, and early reports suggest he could return only after four to five month..

For Cleveland (3-12), the final weeks of the season now shift toward evaluating young talent, hoping Sanders’ health stabilizes and Judkins’ recovery stays on track as the Browns look ahead to 2026.

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