Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders had his home broken into while he was on the field making his NFL debut against the Baltimore Ravens, according to multiple reports.
Outlets including ESPN, NBC Sports, Pro Football Talk, and local reporters from the Akron Beacon Journal and Cleveland.com reported that sources close to the situation said Sanders’ residence was burglarized on Sunday, Nov. 16, while he was at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland.
It is not yet clear whether anything was taken, and Cleveland.com reports that no suspects have been identified at this time.
Sunday’s matchup marked Sanders’ first appearance in an NFL game after being selected 144th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. He entered in the second half after starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel was placed in concussion protocol, per ESPN.
A representative for Sanders did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
During the Browns’ 23–16 loss to the Ravens, Sanders completed 4 of 16 pass attempts for 47 yards and threw one interception.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(683x472:685x474):format(webp)/Shedeur-Sanders-Arizona-v-Colorado-2025-111725-8d8edab34de540edac08fe6ffc4f80a5.jpg)
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Sanders will start next Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders if Gabriel remains in concussion protocol, according to ESPN.
Sanders is at least the sixth NFL player whose home has been broken into while he was playing in a game, and more than a dozen professional athletes across U.S. sports leagues have had their homes burglarized in recent months.
Last year saw a series of high-profile burglaries at the homes of players including Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Joe Burrow. In October 2025, New Orleans Saints defensive end Cam Jordan’s home was also broken into.
In November 2024, the NFL sent a memo to team security directors and the players’ union warning that organized criminal groups were targeting professional athletes’ homes.
The memo outlined how suspects identify targets and recommended that players increase their privacy and security — for example, by waiting to post on social media until after leaving a location and by installing more advanced home security systems.
A source familiar with the situation told NFL insider Tom Pelissero at the time that the transnational crime ring had been “focused on” NBA and NFL players for roughly three weeks.
In February, seven Chilean nationals were charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property in connection with several of the burglaries.
According to the complaint, the accused were allegedly part of a group that “targeted high-profile athletes” in both the National Football League (NFL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA), often breaking into homes while players “were away or playing in professional games” — schedules and locations that were frequently available online.
Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office allege that the group stole more than $2 million in valuables.
