Ever since Shedeur Sanders started playing professionally, he has been on a seesaw. He was the most sacked quarterback in college back in 2024, but he somehow steadied the ship in the closing campaign in college and got drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round. However, his playing career has always been linked to his social media fame. Two years into the league, he got called out again. 

“Shedeur Sanders. He’s not fit to be a backup quarterback,” Jason Whitlock dropped the hot take on his podcast. “When Cosmopolitan Magazine says, ‘Hey, we want to do a profile story on you, Shedeur, you say, ‘Nah, man, I’m good. I’m the backup quarterback. I’m not even playing right now.’ But sitting around with your pearl necklaces on and your wife-beater shirt, they’re using you, Shedeur. 

“Backup quarterback, Shedeur. Tell Cosmopolitan, I haven’t done anything. Let me play the role of a backup quarterback. I don’t want to be seen or heard from until the coach says, ‘Hey, you’re in.’”

Whitlock saw Sanders’ interview with Cosmopolitan as unnecessary, especially when his job might be on the line.

Cosmopolitan recently published a profile of Shedeur featuring a photoshoot and insights into his personal life, including what he looks for in women and relationships.

“I protect my family, and I protect who I love,” Shedeur said in the interview when asked about choosing a life partner. “I’m extremely picky with who comes around.”

Seldom do backup quarterbacks get a feature in a publication like Cosmopolitan. But perhaps Shedeur Sanders’ apparent stardom as Deion Sanders’ son, and as a rather popular figure in the Browns community, led the publication to think him a worthy subject.

The quarterback also appeared on Cosmopolitan’s “Blind Date” series. During the show, the 24-year-old impressed the magazine’s editor-in-chief, Willa Bennett, who was blindfolded during the segment. 

“You’re very charming… You’re really charismatic… You don’t seem that complicated, you seem charming… Will you go on another blind date with me?” she asked.

At Cleveland, however, things are not so good for Shedeur Sanders.

Four weeks into the season, Deshaun Watson has led the Browns to an AFC North-leading 3-1 record, while Shedeur has no other option than to witness the starting opportunities slipping away from him. 

“We felt over the course of training camp and the offseason that (Watson) was ahead of Shedeur,” Monken explained when he announced Watson as QB1. “Shedeur’s closed that gap, for sure. And that’s a credit to him. We look forward to Shedeur continuing to grow as a player, but ultimately, we’re about Week 1. Putting our best foot forward over the next three weeks.”

There is still no clarity on when Shedeur might get his chance to start for Cleveland. Monken previously stated, while naming Watson the starter, that he did not foresee the quarterback situation changing every week.

“Ultimately we expect him to play well or we wouldn’t be starting him,” Monken said.

Nobody also expected Watson to play this well. He is 31 and has returned to the gridiron after a full year of inactivity. But Watson has already thrown for 855 yards and six touchdowns. It does not look like Sanders will get a chance to relieve Watson of starting duties anytime soon.

Heading into Week 5, Shedeur still remains the backup while grabbing headlines for his interviews and photoshoots.