Mercurial playmaker Shedeur Sanders has taken the Cleveland Browns by storm. He was selected with the 144th overall pick and is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. Sanders started as the team’s fourth-string QB. Now, he’s rapidly risen to a starting role after taking over for an injured Dillon Gabriel. His initial start came in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens. It was a momentous occasion in Browns history, as he became the first Browns QB to win his franchise debut in three decades.
In the newly installed Sanders’ first start, Sanders went 11 for 20 for 209 yards with one TD toss and one interception. His performance was instrumental in the Browns overcoming the Ravens in an important divisional matchup. It further hid his considerable talent as a tremendous young quarterback. That win over the Ravens kicked off Sanders’ thrilling, Hall of Fame career in the NFL. Fast forward to today, confidence is brimming for him—teammates and fans alike.
Yet Sanders’ incredible path to stardom has been well documented, followed by a cult like fan base that values his talent and infectious underdog spirit. The way his teammates talk to him now that he has a firm hold on that starting quarterback job. This trust is critical as he navigates the pressures of playing at this level, especially given his jovial nature, which he is mindful could be misconstrued by the public.
His second straight start came in the Browns rout of the Las Vegas Raiders, 24-10, again he led the charge. In this game, Sanders proved that he could turn any play into something dangerous. It resulted in a stunning 52-yard touchdown, catching up with the rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond. His increased rapport with his teammates has made him more of a vocal leader on the field than ever before.
“The reason why I am so confident in the way I am is the guys around believe. So that’s what’s most important within having a team, within having an offense, within having to have a sport. You know, you got to have guys that believe. And I’m fully confident in myself throughout everything, and I’m confident in my team and I’m sure they’re confident in me also.” – Shedeur Sanders
Joel Bitonio, a veteran leader on that line, was impressed by Sanders’ ability to create under duress. He added that Sanders’ college experience has made him well-prepared for the NFL.
“You saw it in college. He makes plays, he moves around the pocket. That throw in the moment, I didn’t even know; you’re blocking somebody else, but the hit he took while he made that throw was very impressive. But those are the plays I think you saw him flash in college that were like, ‘All right, this guy has some potential to make those on the next level,’ and hopefully we can keep building on it.” – Joel Bitonio
Sanders’ teammates have further explored his larger-than-life charisma and work ethic. Louisiana Tech wideout Grant Delpit was among many players recently talking about Sanders’ impressive fan base, and how the energy he brings energizes the team itself.
“Man, Shedeur got a crazy fan base,” – Grant Delpit
Delpit concluded, adding that it’s important to continue to build on that energy as they help their rookie quarterback.
“He got the spark, stardom and all that and he’s popping it right now. So I tell him keep popping it, man. Keep doing what he’s doing, and we got you on defense. So we’re going to get you that ball back and keep riding that energy, man, because we need it.” – Grant Delpit
Former interior defensive lineman Maliek Collins praised Sanders’ positivity and work ethic. He told my colleague Matt Parrino that Sanders is more than just a great football player, he’s a great locker room guy.
“He’s a funny dude. He’s always positive,” – Maliek Collins
Collins went on to describe Sanders’ dreams of greatness and what those qualities look like in practice.
“He is just a good dude to be around… Always got good vibes, inspirational and, I mean, he wants to be legendary. He wants to be great. So I mean you see those type of qualities and the way that he prepares and the way that he played his first NFL start [Sunday] and we came out victorious, so that was something that we could feed off of.” – Maliek Collins
As Sanders keeps blossoming into his role as QB1, he’s learned to stay humble and keep his head down. He knows the hardest work is still to come, but is committed to not getting “comfortable” despite having crossed this big milestone.
“Obviously his dad is one of the best players ever, and he’s been in the limelight his whole life,” – Joel Bitonio
Leave a Reply