BEREA — After a lengthy post-practice throwing regimen, Shedeur Sanders lay on his back near one of the 40-yard lines at Browns headquarters.
Sanders needed a few minutes to recharge his internal battery. He had countless fans to greet, and being a man of the people requires energy.
A brief gathering with members of the Sanders camp preceded the rookie quarterback’s journey along the perimeter of two practice fields.
Although Sanders wasn’t on autograph duty on this day, he sauntered for about 20 minutes and made himself available to at least 100 fans, briefly chatting, shaking hands and posing for photographs with any interested party. He let one young Browns loyalist peel a wristband off his right arm and keep it as a souvenir.
“Great having you here,” another supporter said.
Sanders’ charisma took center stage when the Browns opened their 2025 training camp to fans for the first time.
Here are other sights and sounds from July 25:
The Flacco Fever caused by Joe Flacco’s run with the Cleveland Browns in 2023 lingers
The celebrity status of the 23-year-old Sanders is undeniable, but the 40-year-old Joe Flacco also has star power in Northeast Ohio. Children who screamed and chanted Flacco’s name after practice confirmed it.
Fitting for a father of five, Flacco held cellphones multiple times to take selfies with kids. As he and other Browns players fulfilled autograph responsibilities, one crew of bold siblings yelled for Flacco to “sign my brother!”
Two years after an improbable run to the playoffs, Flacco Fever is still contagious in Browns Town.
Before practice, rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel said he was already aware of Flacco’s appeal to the Cleveland fan base. Afterward, the reminders were loud and clear.
Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ popularity with Cleveland Browns fans is palpable
If Cleveland’s four-quarterback competition were a popularity contest, Sanders would likely be the Week 1 starter, with Flacco finishing runner-up.
However, it’s not a popularity contest, and Browns coach Kevin Stefanski is expected to choose Flacco or Kenny Pickett to start the regular-season opener Sept. 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
For most of this offseason, Flacco has looked better than Pickett in practices open to media members, but none of the quarterbacks lit it up during the first training camp practice in front of fans.
Highlights were akin to endangered species. Pickett had the only touchdown pass, a completion to wide receiver DeAndre Carter during a seven-on-seven period in the red zone.
Perhaps the loudest cheers for any quarterback during practice occurred when Browns legend Bernie Kosar strolled onto the sideline roughly an hour into the session.
Not a drop of bad blood between Browns fans and Myles Garrett could be found as training camp opened to the public
Displays of lackluster offense by a team coming off a 3-14 season cannot solely explain long stretches of relative silence from the stands, though.
The heat and humidity were brutal. A temperature of 83 degrees (with a real feel of 87) listed by AccuWeather at the 2 p.m. start of practice did not do the conditions justice.
Exhaustion won the day.
Yet, All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett had enough pep in his step to greet fans seated beside the bleachers as backups toiled during an uneventful 11-on-11 drill. Garrett smiled during a quick photo opportunity.
“Myles, I love you,” a spectator said.
After practice, Garrett, Flacco and many other players autographed memorabilia.
If fans have any hard feelings about Garrett requesting a trade in February and publicly flirting with other NFL franchises before signing a four-year, $160 million contract extension with the Browns in March, no such emotions could be detected.
With Garrett surrounded by Cleveland fans, he received a hero’s welcome.
Many varieties of jerseys could be found in the crowd, and, according to a completely unscientific eyeball test, Garrett’s No. 95 was the most common with one exception.
Don’t blame the messenger for this sad ending, but Nick Chubb’s No. 24 jersey took first place.
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Shedeur Sanders’ charisma and Flacco Fever evident as Browns camp opens to fans | Ulrich
Reporting by Nate Ulrich, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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