Coach Prime Deion Sanders’ son, Shedeur Sanders, has just come out of himself. Super new to the league, you’d say, but the noise around him has been extremely deafening. The Cleveland Browns’ rookie quarterback has faced a lot of criticism, even before he was drafted.
The media frames his every move negatively, and on Dec. 20, former Pittsburgh Steelers safety dropped his two cents on the situation. Here’s the tea.
Ryan Clark Pushes Back on the Narrative Around Shedeur Sanders
Speaking on the latest episode of “The Pivot Podcast,” Super Bowl champion and ESPN analyst Ryan Clark gave us one of the most pointed takes yet on the growing criticism around Sanders. Clark didn’t deny the flaws, but the agenda.
“Shedeur Sanders is a grifter’s paradise… the most logical person has actually been him…There’s a group of ignorant people that want to see Shedeur fail. People cover sport only say negative things to excite that base while riling up his supporters. Who being honest, only want to hear, “Shedeur’s great”. Is it ok to just tell the truth?” Ryan said.
“His character’s been attacked unnecessarily…So, can we please be logical about what’s happening? Thank God Shedeur is. He’s the most adult person in the room.”
Clark called out what he described as a cycle driven by extremes, critics who want the 23-year-old to fail, and supporters who only want praise. According to Clark, neither side is assisting with the evaluation. The QB, meanwhile, has remained the adult in the room. That truth lives somewhere between the stats and the context.
Through four starts with the Browns, Sanders has thrown for 899 yards, five touchdowns, and five interceptions. The efficiency numbers aren’t pretty, though. A 52.2 completion rate, 68.1 passer rating, and a league-high 3.35 seconds per throw paint a picture of a rookie holding the ball too long. His 43.9 percent pressure rate, second-highest among quarterbacks, explains why. Sanders currently ranks 41st with a PFSN QB impact score of 57.9.
Still, the flashes are real. In Week 14 against Tennessee, Sanders erupted for 364 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and a rushing score, becoming the first Browns quarterback ever to hit that stat line in a single game. He followed it with a rough outing against Chicago, 177 yards, three interceptions, five sacks, and constant pressure in a 31-3 loss, a reminder of how thin the margin is for a fifth-round rookie.
Asked after the Bears game about defenses continuing to attack him, Sanders didn’t flinch. There’s growth beneath the chaos. Sanders has completed seven deep passes in four games, more than Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel combined over comparable stretches. His footwork, pocket presence, and willingness to attack downfield have energized fans even as chemistry issues and protection failures slow progress.
The Browns’ problems extend beyond the quarterback. The run game is inconsistent. Pass protection breaks down early. Sanders, a former third-stringer with limited first-team reps, is learning in real time.
He’s now 1-3 as a starter, has sought advice from Jameis Winston, and continues to take hits both physical and verbal. However, as Clark made clear, the loudest voices aren’t always the smartest. Sanders isn’t finished. He’s building. And for a rookie thrown into the fire, that might be the most honest evaluation of all.