The conversation around Shedeur Sanders has been fascinating to follow in real time. Coming in with a ton of hype from Colorado, many believed he was a shoo-in to be a first-round pick before he fell all the way to the #144 overall.
As a result, he was embroiled in a competition for the quarterback position last summer.
Now, as he’s up against Deshaun Watson for the QB1 role once again, his performance through training camp and joint practice isn’t going very smoothly. Still, his loudest defenders continue to cheer him on.
Shedeur Sanders Isn’t Impressing Anyone
Getting the starting job for the final seven games of the 2025 regular season, Sanders had an underwhelming showing, finishing as the second-to-last player in PFN’s QB Impact Metrics.
But with no real alternative in sight, new head coach Todd Monken was willing to give him a chance if he could outperform Watson over the course of the offseason. A three-time Pro Bowler at one point in his career, Watson has been a shell of his former self for the Cleveland Browns.
But it still feels like he has the edge over the second-generation star, for the time being. A joint practice against the Buffalo Bills, though, turned into a nightmare scenario for Sanders, with the opposing team openly mocking him.
“Overheard from a Bills defender during joint practice with the Browns: ‘This [expletive] checkdown city,'” Browns reporter Daniel Oyefusi revealed. But it became worse for Sanders, thanks to former Super Bowl champion C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
A key piece of the Philadelphia Eagles’ secondary in their Super Bowl 59 triumph, Johnson chose his comments specifically for Sanders, openly mocking him during the joint practice session.
“Bills S C.J. Gardner-Johnson was yelling ‘Check-down King’ in the direction of Shedeur Sanders on the sideline,” one report revealed. But for a lot of the most ardent supporters of the former fifth-round pick, a rebuttal was immediately ready.
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As one fan claimed, “He is OBSESSED with Shedeur, my god.” It was a prevailing notion throughout the fan base. For others, though, it seemed like a way for Johnson to remain in the spotlight, as one remarked, “[Expletive] wants attention so bad.”
He is OBSESSED with Shedeur my god https://t.co/v4aP2RLAv3
— clarke (@clarkeee_1) August 20, 2026
Some corners of the fan base turned the conversation against the safety himself, as they claimed, “Always talking but stay getting cut to the next team.” His comments came as a result of the former fourth-round pick failing to stick with the same team for two consecutive seasons since his rookie contract with the New Orleans Saints.
— OVO letterman boyz 🧊 (@IceburgShortyy) August 20, 2026
But those trying to defend Sanders stepped it up a notch.
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One claimed, “Nothing wrong with check downs. Especially from a guy we know is going to let it loose.” Others took it to another extreme, comparing him to arguably the greatest player in NFL history.
“They called Tom Brady the same thing, and he won 7 Super Bowls.” Brady, who was a late draft pick himself, turned out to be the ultimate anomaly, going from a backup role to the greatest the sport has ever seen.
They called Tom Brady the same thing and he won 7 superbowls
— Jamal Murray SZN 💍 (@Yo_ADoT123) August 20, 2026
But given the returns from Sanders so far, it feels like an extremely long shot that he can turn his career around in such a big way.
However, even with a ton of tape already on display showcasing his shortcomings, it seems like a few members of his fan base aren’t willing to give up on him just yet.
