Some Media Pundits are Dishonest about Shedeur Sanders

           The recently concluded NFL draft provided a single talking point with quarterback Shedeur Sanders not being drafted until the fifth round. Although most draft gurus acknowledged that Sanders possessed first-round talent, only a few mentioned the mere possibility that certain intangibles may prevent him from being a surefire first-rounder. 

            Nevertheless, when the Sanders watch entered into day two, notable media members decided to promulgate on broadcast television and radio about how it was a travesty that Sanders had not been selected yet, however, we did not hear some of these individuals being so entrenched in Camp Sanders before Thursday night. We can deduce that there was a desire by some to make sure that they were on the right side of the spectrum in the court of public opinion. 

           In this social media era, it can be somewhat profitable for one to make grand pronouncements by perseverating on the high thought of the day just so that they can still be invited to the proverbial cookout if they dare to venture past their palatial estates. The lack of genuine objectivity is indicative of the feeling that many are uncomfortable communicating anything that would go against popular opinion. One analyst went as far as to evoke the name of Colin Kaepernick in an erroneous analogy to prove his allegiance.  

           While Sanders did not have the benefit of having college football’s forward wall equivalent of The Great Wall of Dallas blocking for him, some talent evaluators did note that he did miss some reads when he happened to remain afoot, which is not uncommon for a young quarterback. In his two seasons at Colorado, Sanders did not have a significant rushing attack or enough elusiveness to protect him from defenders.   

          There were additional factors that may have given many NFL general managers cause for pause: one thing that worked against Sanders was his perceived arrogance, and the other was fearing verbal onslaughts from his father, head coach Deion Sanders, aka Coach Prime. While it is customary for quarterbacks to have an imperious attitude on the gridiron, excessive pride without winning can be deleterious to anyone’s post-collegiate endeavors. Perhaps the late Vince Lombardi explained it best by saying:           

     “This [football] is a tough and it’s a cruel business. We have to produce. We are only here                   because we win, period. And when we lose, we’re done. Therefore, we have to win. Therefore,           you have to win! And we only want winners.”            

        Of course, many lamented the fact that Sanders was selected by the hapless Cleveland Browns. The more modern iteration of the Browns has gone through more quarterback changes than an indoor football team since the organization was resurrected in 1999. If Sanders can mature and embrace the attitude of proving the naysayers wrong, he can go a long way in cementing his legacy in Cleveland Browns lore and possibly be inducted into nearby Canton. Tom Brady was ascribed to have said, “I think sometimes in life the biggest challenges end up being the best things that happen in your life.” Of course, some do not subscribe to this viewpoint due to elitism and the Browns’ history, but I do not expect much from these individuals who probably think Otto Graham was a former chancellor of the German Empire rather than a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

                                                                                                                                                                 Sunday, April 27, 2025