PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Cleveland Browns had to turn to other quarterbacks with rookie Shedeur Sanders injured.
The decisive touchdown came on defense instead of from relief QBs. K.J. Henry returned an interception 45 yards for a score in the third quarter to send the Browns to a 22-13 preseason win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday.
In a game missing almost all regular-season starters on both sides — Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley sat out for the defending Super Bowl champions while Myles Garrett and Jerry Jeudy rested for the Browns — the Eagles got a better look at their draft picks fighting for playing time.
Andrew Mukuba returned an interception 75 yards for a score and recovered a fumble, and Jihaad Campbell had a sack, an impressive showing for the Eagles’ top two 2025 draft picks.
Maybe somewhere actor Matthew McConaughey was impressed.
McConaughey, a Longhorns superfan, had a social media post in support of Mukuba when the safety was drafted out of Texas in the second round.
Mukuba missed time early in training camp with a shoulder injury and returned only in the last few days to take first-team reps. He was in the right spot Saturday to pick off a pass from Dillon Gabriel. Mukuba took it all the way for the 75-yard score and a 7-6 lead. He added a fumble recovery later and broke up a pass in the second half, the kind of plays needed to close the gap in his competition with Sydney Brown for the starting safety spot.
“Guys that have a knack for the football just find ways to be around the football,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said.
Campbell, a linebacker out of Alabama selected 31st overall, sacked Gabriel on the second play of the game.
The Eagles just may have found two more defensive gems to make meaningful contributions in their pursuit of another title.
The Eagles and Browns both played it safe with their starters after the two teams held a pair of joint practices earlier in the week.
Sanders hurt his oblique in the first practice and did not play Saturday. The Browns started Gabriel, a third-round pick who worked his way back into the lineup after he had been sidelined with an injured hamstring.
Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski waited until game day to name Gabriel the starter.
“We have to protect players from themselves,” Stefanski said. “Sometimes guys want to play so bad. You just have to make sure they can protect themselves so they can go perform. That’s all it was. Just getting as close to kickoff as we can to make a prudent decision for the young man.”
Gabriel was 13 of 18 passing for 143 yards and the pick-6. Tyler “Snoop” Huntley played in the second half and was 10 of 13 for 71 yards.
“There’s flashes of being very consistent and clean as an offense,” Gabriel said.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw a pick-6 to Henry that gave Cleveland a 19-13 lead in the third. Thompson-Robinson was replaced by Kyle McCord, another 2025 draft pick, on the next series. McCord, who is from nearby Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and was raised as an Eagles fan, threw for 47 yards overall, including a 9-yard touchdown pass.
The Eagles also rested backup QB Tanner McKee and had just 88 total yards.
Sanders out
Sanders, who covered his head with a towel as he watched from the sideline, didn’t play after he sustained an oblique injury during drills ahead of practice Wednesday. The Browns said he is day to day.
Sanders completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards with two first-half touchdown passes to Kaden Davis in his NFL preseason debut in a win in the opener over Carolina.
The 40-year-old Joe Flacco, in the mix to start the season opener, also sat out. And Kenny Pickett didn’t play as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
Stefanski said he hoped all four quarterbacks would be available to play in next week’s preseason finale.
High snap
Yes, Thompson-Robinson threw the pick-6, but he wasn’t helped by a high snap from Brett Toth. Toth played at center and Drew Kendall was at left guard as the Eagles tried to get by without the injured Landon Dickerson. Dickerson has been sidelined since he suffered a right knee injury at an open practice. The Eagles have not given a timeline for his absence or ruled him out for the season opener.
Up next
The Browns host the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday.
The Eagles play Friday at the New York Jets.
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