It took less than five weeks for the Shedeur Sanders drama to once again come to the forefront of the Cleveland Browns organization. Even as the team goes through a quarterback change and elevates rookie Dillon Gabriel into the starting lineup, the focus of the NFL world has been on their third-stringer, thanks to a rapidly developing controversy.
Things reached a boiling point this week after Sanders pantomimed an entire interview in the locker room. While the overwhelming majority of sports media ridiculed him for the childish maneuver, a legendary wide receiver in Chad Johnson, believed it was the correct choice from the second-generation superstar.
Chad Johnson Backs Shedeur Sanders’ Antics
The entire situation began thanks to a different Sanders interview last week. Claiming that he was better than most of the quarterback play he had seen in the league up to that point, Sanders’s comment came across as a shot against his own teammates.
Whether intentional or not, it did paint the Colorado Buffaloes star in a negative light. However, former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan took it to another level, dissing Sanders on national television.
Declaring that he shouldn’t have been making such huge proclamations, he even claimed that the youngster wasn’t working as hard as needed to. Seemingly taking issue with his comments, Sanders had a rather childlike idea.
During his next interview, he chose to mime answers without making a single sound in what seemed like a direct rebuttal to Ryan. For a six-time Pro Bowler and one of the most dangerous wideout threats in NFL history, the response from Sanders was perfect.
During the latest episode of Nightcap, Johnson explained his rationale. “Whatever he says, they’re gonna twist his words. If you say nothing…” Claiming that the media was trying to create controversy by interviewing a third-stringer, he believed Sanders was doing the perfect job to avoid controversy.
“I like the way he handled it. Because anything he does say, they’re going to make it a big deal, they’re going to twist his words, they’re going to take it completely out of context.” From Johnson’s perspective, it was the ideal way for Sanders not to give them any more ammunition.
However, the response, or lack thereof, has become a major talking point all across the sports media landscape. While the focus should be on Gabriel getting his first NFL start, it has centered firmly around Sanders and whatever Ryan says next.
A feud between a commentator and a player is never an ideal situation for the player in question. For someone still trying to earn his place in the league, it might not have been the best choice for the youngster to “air” those comments.
