Shedeur Sanders’ New Jersey Number Revealed After NFL Pro Bowl Rookie Season with Browns

As Shedeur Sanders prepares for his second NFL season with the Cleveland Browns, he will be wearing a different jersey number when he takes the field.

The Browns announced on Monday that Sanders, who wore No. 12 as a rookie, will be switching to jersey No. 2 in 2026.

Sanders previously wore the number two in high school at Trinity Christian and throughout his college tenure at both Jackson State and Colorado.

The number was unavailable to Sanders last year because wide receiver DeAndre Carter took it after signing a one-year deal in free agency.

Since Carter is no longer with the Browns, Sanders was able to claim the jersey number he is extremely familiar with.

There is a downside to this because No. 2 has famously not been particularly kind to Browns players over the years. Carter, as one example, appeared in just four games and had no receptions.

Bailey Zappe used it in 2024 when he appeared in one game as the backup quarterback. He finished 16-of-31 for 170 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in a 35-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

The other quarterbacks who have worn No. 2 for the Browns are Johnny Manziel and Tim Couch.

Amari Cooper is the most successful Cleveland player to ever wear the jersey in Cleveland. He had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022-23 and caught 14 touchdowns in 32 games during that span.

Sanders will be hoping to break the general trend of poor performers in Browns history to use this number. He did make the Pro Bowl last season, becoming the first Cleveland quarterback to accomplish that feat since Derek Anderson in 2007.

Joe Flacco was also a 2025 Pro Bowler and played for the Browns last season, but he spent the bulk of the year with the Cincinnati Bengals after being traded by Cleveland.

Despite his Pro Bowl appearance, Sanders still has plenty of room for growth in his game. He threw for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions with a 56.6 completion percentage in eight games (seven starts).