Deion Sanders, the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, has publicly defended his son, Shedeur Sanders, following controversy surrounding his preparation for the NFL draft. Shedeur was picked up by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round. This shocked most observers who expected him to go much earlier in the first round.
In a recent interview Deion expressed his frustration. He vehemently refuted stories that said Shedeur was not ready for the meetings with NFL teams. He made his case powerfully by saying those charges were a deep personal affront and wrong. He reiterated the point that his son had studied hard for the predraft tests.
When you sit the hell up there and say some shit like he walked into a meeting unprepared, like bruh, Deion said, underscoring his irritation with the idea that Shedeur isn’t ready for the NFL.
Deion explained Shedeur’s experience, reflecting on all the adversity that he had to go through throughout his college career. “Shedeur Sanders? Who has had six different [offensive] coordinators, who has still functioned and leveled up every time we brought somebody new in, and you’re going to tell me he was unprepared?” he questioned. Whoever is familiar with my son, get to know he is a pro. He’s going to go into a meeting with headphones on? Y’all, come on now.”
Shedeur Sanders was picked much later than anticipated. Today, he hopes to do the same, wearing number 12 for the Cleveland Browns, the same number that Tom Brady made legendary in his own historic career. Tom Brady has been important to Deion Sanders as a mentor. After the draft, he was said to be in contact with Shedeur to provide support and encouragement.
“He texted Shedeur in support, criticizing the notion that Shedeur was unprepared for meetings,” Deion shared. With this gesture, the NFL legend exemplifies the mutual respect present within the professional football community. Beyond that, it just showcases the belief they’ve put in Shedeur’s arms.
As he prepares for his rookie season, Shedeur steps into a highly competitive quarterback room in Cleveland. He’ll compete with Dillon Gabriel, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Deshaun Watson for the starting job. Watson is still rehabbing from a second tear of his right Achilles tendon. This injury paves an avenue for the other quarterbacks to emerge.
Shedeur’s brother, Shilo Sanders, went undrafted, he’s already signed a contract and made a team with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The contrast between their draft paths has inundated a world of pitcher development. It further emphasizes the uncertain reality of what it means to be a professional athlete.
Deion Sanders ended his speech on a note that implied he understood the bigger picture behind the draft process. “It did hurt. The Bible says God uses the foolish things to confound the wise,” he stated. There was a lot of dumb things that happened, but that provided them an opening that they required.
As Shedeur embarks on his NFL journey, he carries both the weight of expectations and the support of his family and mentors in pursuit of success.
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