Deion Sanders has never really known how to play it quiet. After the draft dust settled, he could have just let Shedeur breathe a little in Cleveland. But nope. He was back on the podcast, calling out analysts, saying Shedeur should’ve gone way earlier, even tossing shade at Dan Orlovsky. Understandable. After all, he is Shedeur’s dad before Coach Prime. But the NFL world started side-eyeing. It wasn’t about talent anymore. It was the vibe. Too much noise, too fast, and too close to a kid who hadn’t even thrown a pro pass yet.

By then, reporters were no longer subtle. Even before Shedeur and the Browns kicked off their mandatory minicamp, one headline pretty much said it straight—Shedeur could be the guy, but dad Deion got to shut up first. Brutal. Others weren’t as blunt but danced around the same point: Deion’s shadow was too loud, and Shedeur needed space. Real space. Because the competition is the toughest, and the former Colorado quarterback has found himself in a crowded QB room in Cleveland.

The kid needs the kind of space that lets a rookie QB get humbled, grow, and fail without the media circus. But Deion? He’s Deion. He isn’t paying attention to outside noises. And the mic is always on. But amidst all the chaos, Shedeur seems different. He’s doing what he needs to do to improve, avoiding any questions from the media that are unrelated to his quarterback role with the Browns.

A few days ago, Coach Prime shared a video on social media in which he discussed his health. “What I’m dealing with right now is on a whole other level … I’ve lost about 14 pounds … I’m coming back, but I needed this,” Deion said. And when Shedeur was asked about his dad’s health in a post-minicamp media appearance, the 23-year-old quarterback shrugged it off, stating that he wasn’t there to discuss his dad.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Shedeur said when asked about Deion’s health, a slight grin on his face. “So, I’m here not to talk about Pops, you know, I’m here for the quarterback of the Cleveland Browns.” And suddenly, the whole narrative shifted.

Shedeur has never played under any other coach throughout his career, except for Deion Sanders. First at Trinity Christian, and then at Jackson State, and then at Colorado as well. Shedeur had his dad looking out for him wherever he went. And when the Browns picked him, Deion never became silent. Veteran journalist Andrea Kremer believes that “Deion will be Deion.

“Obviously, we know he’s the only coach Shedeur has ever had at any level… But right now, if he’s going to rise from the fifth-round pick status in a very crowded quarterback room in Cleveland, he needs to focus on himself.” And the way things are shaping up, it’s safe to say that Shedeur Sanders is currently focusing on himself. While Deion’s health is a major concern for the kid, no doubt. But in front of the media? Yeah, he’s not going to talk about that.

In fact, he’ll talk about the quarterback of the Browns. That’s it. And Deion? Well, Coach Prime being candid about his son’s future is well-documented. First, he predicted that his son would be the first overall pick ahead of the draft. And when his son slipped to the fifth round? Dad Deion started defending his son’s draft pick.

Now that Shedeur is all hyped up for his rookie season, no wonder the folks out there are demanding that Dad Deion let go of his son, for his own good. After all, he’s expected to lead the Browns as their franchise quarterback. And looking at the mandatory minicamp, it’s safe to say the QB is getting ready for that role.

Shedeur Sanders breaks his silence on reps with the starters

Entering the Browns’ building, the job of grabbing the starting quarterback role isn’t a walk in the park. Not just for Shedeur, but for any QB. We’re talking the third-round pick, Dillon Gabriel, and the veterans Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco. Enter Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport, who just slapped the former Colorado quarterback with a ‘loser’ tag.

“Sanders needs a hug—because it has been a rough year so far for the rookie,” he wrote, addressing Sanders’ draft slide to the fifth round and then the reps with first-team: “while Sanders and Gabriel received most of the quarterback reps… it was the latter who worked mostly with the starters.” While Shedeur has been turning heads in the Browns’ practice sessions (rookie minicamp, OTAs, mandatory minicamp), he’s been the only QB who didn’t get many reps with the starters.

Shedeur’s response on rep disparity? Well, the QB sounded mature. “Life is just based on how you view different things,” he said…“You can view things as you’re not getting reps in a negative way or you can view it as, OK, when it’s my time to get out there, let’s be proactive… Nobody cares how many reps you got whenever you get in the game. Nobody cares if you took a snap before. Everybody cares about production. So that’s the main thing.”

Earlier, head coach Kevin Stefanski noted that the Browns are too far away when asked if the lack of reps with the first team offense is going to impact Shedeur’s QB depth chart and his chances to start. It’s a four-QB competition. And everyone has a shot. Because let’s face it—Flacco is 40, and it’s unlikely he’s going to start 17 games. And just like that, we can expect Shedeur to get an opportunity to start in his rookie season.