More than four months after his dramatic draft day slide, Shedeur Sanders has finally found a place on an NFL squad. Even though he is the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, there is a legitimate pathway for him to get some starting minutes this season. For someone who was projected to be a first-round pick, that fall might lead to some resentment towards the players ahead of him.
However, Sanders has been a pillar of consistency in that regard. In particular, his behavior towards veteran Joe Flacco has been a sight to behold, and that continued when Flacco took the field for the Browns for the first time this year in the final preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. He even mentioned one activity as a bucket list moment: entering his rookie season.
What Was Shedeur Sanders Looking Forward to With Joe Flacco?
After a stellar collegiate run with Jackson State and Colorado, it seemed like the consensus was on Sanders to be the second quarterback taken off the board behind Cam Ward. However, his stock fell dramatically during the draft, leading to the Browns drafting him at 144.
With Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel (drafted 94th overall) also on the roster, Sanders had his work cut out for him to retain a spot in Cleveland. His performance, especially in the preseason, was going to be critical to his career.
With injuries keeping Gabriel and Pickett out of the decision, head coach Kevin Stefanski gave Sanders the starting nod to begin the preseason. Immediately putting on a show, he finished with 138 yards and two touchdowns against the Carolina Panthers.
However, an oblique injury caused him to miss Week 2 before returning to a brutal performance against Los Angeles. He added just 14 yards in three completions while being sacked five times, thanks to some egregious mistakes by the rookie quarterback.
During that game, he had third-string duties behind Flacco and Gabriel. Despite how the night turned out, Sanders had one core memory to take away from the game. In an exclusive look behind the scenes, Flacco could be seen preparing the troops for the game.
In his pre-game speech, he said, “Let’s go out there and have some fun today, boys. It’s always just football, baby. Family on three.” For a player who grew up around the sport and possibly heard a ton of stories from his Hall of Fame father, Deion Sanders, a pre-game speech was all too special for Sanders.
He said, “You always see those pregame speeches. You always see them online or whatever. The fact that you’re getting a real one from a vet. That was it. It was just something off the bucket list.”
His joy and passion for the moment jumped out from the video itself. But it continued a string of comments and media appearances from Sanders that showcase his incredible personality that is sure to be a winner in the locker room.
