The tension between Deion Sanders and the Cleveland Browns has reached a boiling point following Kevin Stefanski’s continued refusal to start Shedeur Sanders despite Dillon Gabriel’s persistent struggles.

In a cryptic yet pointed Instagram post on November 11, 2025, Coach Prime addressed what he perceives as dishonesty surrounding his son’s situation with the Browns, writing:

“The Truth is life is more than fair but your Circumstances ain’t! Because ‘You Can’t Change What You Refuse to Confront’. It’s time we’re all honest with ourselves to improve our lives. Living Lies ain’t Living. Look at Yourself not others.”

The post resonates as a clear response to what Deion has called “lies” about his son throughout the draft process and his NFL journey, suggesting that the Browns are refusing to confront the reality of their offensive struggles by sticking with the wrong quarterback.

Following Cleveland’s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets in Week 10, head coach Kevin Stefanski made it emphatically clear that he has no plans to give Shedeur Sanders a chance.

“We’re gonna stick with Dillon. Obviously this is a young player, you’re always trying to get one game better and those types of things. We have to play better as an offense, we have to coach better, all of the above.”

Through week 10, Gabriel has completed 102 of 174 passes for 869 yards. He produced a disappointing 58.6% completion percentage. He’s thrown 7 touchdowns against 2 interceptions with a passer rating of 80.4.

His longest completed pass has been just 24 yards, highlighting an inability to attack downfield or create explosive plays. The Browns’ quarterback situation has exposed what some insiders describe as blatant favoritism toward Gabriel over Sanders. Reports surfaced that general manager Andrew Berry pushed for Shedeur to get a fair opportunity, creating tension with Stefanski, who has maintained unwavering faith in Gabriel.​

The favoritism became evident during training camp and OTAs. Gabriel received the vast majority of first-team reps despite Sanders showing promise during the preseason. Yet when the regular season began, he found himself buried on the depth chart behind not only Gabriel but also veteran Joe Flacco.​

When Flacco was benched and subsequently traded to the Cincinnati Bengals after Week 5, it opened a clear path for Sanders to see action. But Stefanski remained committed to Gabriel. The move elevated Sanders to QB2, but only after he recovered from a back injury that conveniently kept him inactive for the Week 9 game against the New England Patriots.​

The Browns’ handling of Sanders has now drawn sharp criticism even from prominent sports media figures.

Calls grow louder for Shedeur Sanders as the Browns continue to struggle

ESPN Radio host Tony Rizzo expressed the frustration many feel: “What is going on behind the scenes? How can this kid that was rated as a late first-round draft pick not get on a field for a team that sucks?!”

Skip Bayless, formerly of Fox Sports, tweeted after the Jets loss, “How much longer do I have to watch Dillon Gabriel dink and dunk and clunk… and lose, even to the Jets… before Shedeur gets his turn???”

The controversy surrounding Shedeur Sanders began long before his NFL debut. Once projected as a potential top-five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders experienced one of the most dramatic slides in recent draft history. He fell all the way to the fifth round, where the Browns selected him 144th overall.​​

This came as a shock since Sanders had dominated at Colorado in his final season. He threw for over 4,000 yards with 37 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions while completing 74% of his passes. Even when he made his NFL debut in the preseason against the Carolina Panthers. Sanders impressed in that game, completing 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns while leading the Browns to a 30-10 victory.

As the Browns’ 2025 season slips further from playoff contention with a 2-7 record, the team must soon make a decision ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.