It began with whispers. A fifth-round pick brought in with high-profile pedigree and a big last name. Some wondered if Shedeur Sanders was more spectacle than substance. But everything changed on the first day of the Browns minicamp. In front of a room featuring Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel, he completed 10 of 12 passes with two touchdowns. That deep ball to Gage Larvadain wasn’t just pretty. It was poised.

And suddenly the whispers turned into applause. “It’s just crazy, a guy this young with this much notoriety can just handle media and things like that. I think his dad has really taught him how to be that guy in the spotlight and understand what comes with it. I think he’s done an incredible job of just learning and getting better each day.” CB Greg Newsome II didn’t just say it for the sake of it. He saw it. Plus, Shedeur made the team believe in him as well. Despite showing immaturity with the two speeding tickets in just a month. But the best part? He learned from it.

Then came Robert Griffin III with the seal of approval. He tweeted on July 17, “Shedeur Sanders may have fallen in the NFL Draft to the 5th round, but he is winning the hearts and minds of Cleveland Browns fans on and off the field. No complaining about reps. No complaining about where he is on the depth chart. Just work.” That wasn’t hype. It was recognition. And it came from someone who understands the grind it takes to earn a locker room.

Sanders didn’t stop there. He helped organize the Garden Valley Fun Fest after the Rainbow Terrace explosion displaced over 120 families. Moreover, he visited John Marshall High School and spoke to students about leadership, respect and character. This wasn’t a PR stunt. It was connection. It was Cleveland seeing a rookie who wanted to give as much as he wanted to win.

And this was enough to get a mention from Griffin, as he wrote on his X: “Off the field, he has made it a point to connect and support his new community in Cleveland. He just went to the Garden Valley Fun Fest to talk and have fun with the community impacted by an explosion at the Rainbow Terrance Apartments that killed 1 and displaced over 100 people including 40 families.”

Additionally, his track record backs it all up. Shedeur left college with the highest career completion percentage in FBS history at 71.8 percent. And in minicamp he showed it wasn’t a fluke. He kept his head down, his throws tight, and earned the quiet respect of a team tired of drama and ready for a new kind of leader.

That line stuck. In a locker room full of egos and expectations, being coachable is underrated. But in Cleveland right now, it’s everything. RG3 concluded his post with this, “Shedeur Sanders knows what leadership looks like on and off the field at an HBCU where he helped turn around Jackson State. He knows what it looks like at the Power 4 level where he helped turn around Colorado. He is proving once again that it’s always been bigger than just football. With his work, he is changing lives for the better.”

This city didn’t just gain a quarterback. It gained a presence. Whether Shedeur starts Week 1 or waits his turn, he has already flipped the narrative. Not with noise but with action. Not with arrogance but with authenticity. Cleveland didn’t just find a player. They found a heartbeat.

Will Kevin Stefanski play Shedeur Sanders?

Shedeur may be winning over the fans, but Kevin Stefanski isn’t jumping the gun. The Browns HC is expected to name Joe Flacco as the starter for Week 1. That doesn’t mean Sanders has lost the job. It means Stefanski is playing the long game. And that might be the smartest thing he can do. As RGIII also pointed out, “On the field at their mandatory mini camp in June, Shedeur went 41-for-53 with nine touchdowns and one interception during team drills.”

However, ex-NFLer Kyle Long didn’t stop there in his prediction. He even threw Pickett’s name out the window. And he also wanted the team to trade away both rookies, not only Shedeur Sanders. But behind the scenes, the coaching staff has put Sanders through high-pressure reps. Quick-hitter read, simulated blitzes, and off-platform throws with collapsing pockets. The kid is processing faster every day. But not better than the Comeback Player of the Year.

Joe Flacco is the definition of stability. Moreover, in 2023, he posted a 13 to 8 touchdown to interception ratio and gave Cleveland enough late-season firepower to steal games. Stefanski trusts that arm in the short term. But he also wants stability in 2025. He has already wasted enough seasons. The fans want results now.

Stefanski was asked about Sanders during OTAs and gave a telling quote, “He’s in there early. He’s working really hard. I like everything about Shedeur.” That’s coach language for someone being groomed carefully and deliberately. Not thrown into the fire but readied to walk through it when the time is right.

If Flacco falters or Cleveland stumbles by midseason, all eyes will shift. And Shedeur will already be ready. This isn’t about protecting the rookie. It’s about preparing the next era. Stefanski is holding the match. He just hasn’t struck it yet.

If Flacco falters or Cleveland stumbles by midseason, all eyes will shift. And Shedeur will already be ready. This isn’t about protecting the rookie. It’s about preparing the next era. Stefanski is holding the match. He just hasn’t struck it yet.