The Browns ended their preseason with a narrow 19-17 win over the Rams, but the spotlight wasn’t on the victory. Instead, all eyes turned to rookie QB Shedeur Sanders. Many fans accused HC Kevin Stefanski of deliberately holding him back. The conspiracy theory? Stefanski benched Shedeur late in the game to bring in veteran Tyler Huntley, robbing the rookie of a chance to shine. But was that really the case? Football analyst Jason Whitlock didn’t think so. 

On the latest episode of his show “Fearless”, Jason Whitlock cut straight to the point. “Shedeur Sanders was awful… He ended up getting benched because he was so awful. But because of this rigged matrix and because Shedeur is the clickbait king, not many people are talking about it,” he said. Strong words, right? Whitlock once again branded Shedeur the “Clickbait.” He had also used that label back in June when Shedeur faced scrutiny for a speeding incident. At the time, Whitlock had blamed Shedeur’s father, Deion Sanders, saying, “When you are Deion and you turn your son into clickbait… the mistakes other young people make become a big deal because there’s social media traction behind it.” 

Now, after a poor outing against the Rams, Jason Whitlock doubled down on his criticism. Whitlock argued that Shedeur Sanders didn’t look like a polished NFL quarterback. “He looked like a fifth-round pick… a guy that maybe shouldn’t have gotten drafted,” Whitlock said. He also added, “He looked like the guy that holds the ball too long, can’t read a defense, and takes really bad sacks, and has a poor attitude. Shedeur Sanders looked exactly like what his critics said he was, a Deion Sanders creation.” That was a harsh take on a rookie still finding his footing. 

Furthermore, Whitlock also questioned the fairness of Sanders’ QB2 competition with fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. He pointed out that Gabriel was a third-round pick while Shedeur was taken in the fifth. “No organization is going to give both the exact same opportunities,” he argued. In his view, Shedeur’s career has always benefited from favoritism. “Do you think other quarterbacks were given the same opportunities as Shedeur Sanders when his father coached him all the way through college?” he asked. That’s a tough critique. But is it fair to judge Shedeur only through the lens of his father’s influence?

Adding to the debate, Jason also said people were acting like the Browns revolved around Shedeur Sanders. “When has that ever been football? Eleven guys take the field at a time. They all have to be in unison. It’s never just about one guy,” Whitlock said. Steve Kim, a guest on the show, even suggested that sports media were portraying Shedeur as a victim. That raises an interesting question: Is Shedeur facing the same scrutiny every rookie quarterback goes through? 

Is Shedeur Sanders’ performance against the Rams the only cause for criticism?

Against the Panthers in his preseason debut, Shedeur Sanders looked sharp. He threw 2 TDs, completed 14 of 23 passes, and racked up 138 yards without an interception. Fans and analysts praised him for what looked like a promising start. But the Rams game told a different story as mistakes piled up from the rookie. Shedeur went just 3-of-6 for 14 yards, got sacked 5 times, and lost 41 yards. Holding onto the ball too long became a major issue. Drives stalled, and his confidence seemed to fade. As such, by the fourth quarter, Kevin Stefanski made a switch. 

With the Browns trailing, the head coach turned to Tyler Huntley for the two-minute drill. That move sparked controversy. But with the same third and fourth string linemen, Huntley marched Cleveland downfield and set up rookie kicker Andre Szmyt for the game-winning 37-yard field goal. And that contrast in performance made Shedeur’s struggles look even bigger. Then came the sideline moment. Cameras caught Shedeur Sanders frustrated after being pulled. And Jason Whitlock jumped on that, too. 

“Body language and energy are awful. Doesn’t look like a leader,” Jason Whitlock said. Was Shedeur Sanders just showing normal rookie frustration, or was it truly a sign of immaturity? Opinions will likely remain divided. Moreover, the truth is, Shedeur faces an uphill battle. He entered camp fighting for a depth chart spot, and now Kevin Stefanski’s roster decisions may seal his fate forever.