Shedeur Sanders and his father, Deion Sanders, are not new to the spotlight or public scrutiny; the popular father-son duo has faced criticism since their time together at Colorado, and it continues.
Most recently, Deion made a surprise visit to Cleveland to watch his son sweat it out during training camp.
While most analysts like Colin Cowherd ridiculed Coach Prime for doing so, Ryan Clark defended the Colorado coach and drew an Archie Manning comparison.
Ryan Clark Backs Deion Sanders Amid Backlash for Attending Shedeur Sanders’ Training Camp
Many analysts have blamed Deion for Shedeur’s struggles in the league since the 2025 NFL Draft, citing the Colorado head coach for his son’s dramatic draft slide.
Despite Todd Monken’s excitement about having Coach Prime at the Browns’ training facility, many people expressed frustration with his appearance in Cleveland.
Defending Coach Prime’s actions, Clark shared his thoughts during a recent segment on “The Pivot Podcast.”
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“I think the first thing is, just because I’m an extremely successful human doesn’t mean I should support my children any less,” Clark said. “Deion Sanders has not only been there for Shedeur Sanders as a father since birth, he coached in high school with him. They moved to Jackson State together. They moved to Colorado together. When you think about parenting, when you think about pouring into your seeds, that’s what it’s supposed to look like. That would be the epitome of what it’s supposed to be.
“And there’s this negativity, and there’s this hate that surrounds Deion Sanders. And I do believe it’s because of unabashed, or unashamed greatness, of being great, of working towards excellence, and being comfortable in your own skin.”
Clark also highlighted how Archie Manning used to see both Eli and Peyton Manning at practices and at games.
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The analyst argues that Archie should be applauded for being a present parent in his son’s life, just like Deion Sanders.
Clark concluded by saying, “Deion Sanders is doing exactly what you’re supposed to do when you have a level of cache that allows your sons or allows your children to receive a platform and then take advantage of it in the ways that they should.”
Sanders finished the 2025 season with a PFN QB Impact Score of 63.0, the second-lowest score in the league. He also threw for 1,400 yards while completing 56.6% of his passes with 7 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
The former Colorado star is now fighting veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson for the Browns QB1 role.
