We’ve seen a number of young NFL and NBA players make headlines in recent years for being the sons and grandsons of stars, and Shedeur Sanders and Bronny James are no different. However, the two youngsters are facing an unusual amount of hate, and one former Pro Bowl quarterback explained why.
Robert Griffin III Connects the Dots on Shedeur Sanders and Bronny James
Among the many beliefs in the sports community, one of the most polarizing is that Sanders and James only made it to the NFL and NBA because of their famous fathers, Deion Sanders and LeBron James.
Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III weighed in on the situation, advocating for Shedeur to receive a fair chance to compete after Deshaun Watson emerged as the likely candidate to become QB1.
“Some people want anyone but Shedeur Sanders to be the starting QB in Cleveland,” he posted on X. “Makes zero sense. Let the young man compete and put the agendas against him and his family away.”
In an episode of “Outta Pocket With RGIII” last year, the former quarterback said the two youngsters are facing opposition solely because of their families.
“When I look at Shedeur Sanders and Bronny James, the criticism isn’t about the sport,” Griffin said. “It more so has to do with who their father is, how great of a player that person was, the expectations that are levied on them… and I also think that it’s a little bit of jealousy.”
LeBron is a four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA Finals MVP, and four-time league MVP with 22 All-Star appearances. Many believe his influence on the Los Angeles Lakers franchise is the only reason why the team drafted Bronny in the second round in 2024.
His son has since struggled to break through in the pros, having started only two games over the last two seasons. In a bid to refine his game, he has spent time in the G League with the South Bay Lakers. There haven’t been signs that he’ll be a prominent name in the NBA one day, let alone live up to his father’s standards, but we have seen him improve his game, which has also earned him some minutes during the Lakers’ current postseason run.
As for Shedeur, the second-year quarterback is trying to escape the shadow of his Hall of Fame dad, Deion. As a two-time Super Bowl champion and NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the former Dallas Cowboys star earned eight Pro Bowl appearances en route to six First-Team All-Pro nods.
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
Ever since his days at Jackson State, Shedeur’s success has been tied to his father, who coached every college team he played for, including Colorado.
According to PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, Sanders finished last season as the fourth-worst-ranked quarterback in the league with an impact score of 56.9. In Year 2 of an NFL career that started on a harsh note, the young quarterback will continue his fight on the field to win his battles online.
