The speculation, rumors, innuendos, and shade being thrown around Shedeur Sanders get weirder by the day. We’ve heard a lot so far: He’s arrogant, he’s over-confident, he doesn’t have an NFL-caliber arm, he’s blowing meetings with teams.
Now, it’s escalated to a former coach questioning Sanders’ willingness to listen to anyone but his dad, Deion Sanders.
Former NFL Head Coach Raises Concerns on Shedeur Sanders Being Coached by Someone Other Than Deion
Former New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini went on FS1’s First Things First to address what he thinks is the elephant in the room. “The only element where I think Deion comes into play here is: he’s (Shedeur) only played for his dad. That’s his only head coach… How is he going to take head coaching from someone that he’s not related to,” Mangini said.
“I don’t think that’s an unfair question at all,” Mangini added. “Because the dynamic between father and son and coach and player is different.”
Host Nick Wright chimed in: “When you first said it, I was like man, I know this kid can take tough coaching … Deion is a hard ass,” Wright pointed out. Agreeing with Mangini, Wright said: “Does that mean Shedeur is used to hard coaching, or does it feel different? Well, ‘that’s my dad, my dad can tell me to clean my room.'”
“The only element where I think Deion comes into play here is: he’s only played for his dad. That’s his only head coach… How is he going to take head coaching from someone that he’s not related to?”
Coach Mangini breaks down whether people are over-thinking on Shedeur Sanders: pic.twitter.com/WGGE51WsXG
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1)
Mangini continues, “It’s different when you’re dealing with your child, versus a player. How does that translate?”
“Deion Sanders, the coach, is outstanding and I think he is hard and demanding,” Mangini explained. “But how will that same methods be received when it’s not your dad?”
Criticism has surrounded the Sanders’ father-son dynamic for years. It’s followed them from high school to Jackson State to Boulder. By all accounts, other players say that Deion has been harder on Shedeur than any other player on the team.
In turn, Shedeur has developed into a top-end quarterback prospect who has met with multiple teams in the lead-up to the draft.
Teams in need of quarterbacks include the Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, and Cleveland Browns. Pro Football Network’s two-round mock draft has Sanders landing with the New Orleans Saints at 9th overall.
For his part, Shedeur has responded to the heavy amounts of criticism with a positive attitude and a sense of humor, even as his draft stock vacillates between being a top 10 pick and sliding out of the first round altogether.
What those teams think of the Colorado quarterback is the subject of rumors, but what the league really thinks of Shedeur will come to bear on draft day.
