Despite being a fifth-round pick, Shedeur Sanders did a phenomenal job with the Cleveland Browns last season, stepping up in an injury-plagued quarterback room. He finished the season with 1,400 passing yards and seven touchdown passes in eight games. He even got the Pro Bowl nod in his rookie season.

Even after accomplishing so much in his short career, Sanders always seems to be on the receiving end of criticism. But there are a few people who have always looked out for him. And one of them is his father, Deion Sanders. During a recent interview with ClutchPoints, the NFL legend spoke about Sanders, revealing what he truly felt about his son.

“Well, of course, I’m his dad,” said Deion Sanders to ClutchPoints. “No, I haven’t spoken to him (said Sanders, sarcastically). I’m just Dad. Of course, man. He’s gonna face haters like he’s always had. He’s not gonna face anything new that he hasn’t faced in the entirety of his life. He’s always been up against the eight ball. He’s always been really undervalued, not really appreciated like he should, and he always comes through. He likes when odds are stacked up against him.”

Ever since his time with the Colorado Buffaloes, Sanders has been widely criticized by many, including the media. In 2024, he guided the program to a 9-4 record and a Valero Alamo Bowl appearance. The last time they had a winning season and a Bowl appearance was in 2016, when Mike MacIntyre was the HC, and the Buffaloes finished with a 10-4 record, earning a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Sanders recorded 4,134 passing yards and 37 touchdown passes against 10 interceptions to help the program get to its success in 2024. He completed 74% of his passes, while also scoring 4 rushing touchdowns in 100 carries. Following that performance, he was believed to be a first-round pick.

Unfortunately, harsh criticism saw him spiral down to the fifth round when the Browns selected him using their 144th pick. NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that an NFL assistant coach blasted Sanders for being “the worst formal interview” in his life.

“He’s so entitled,” the coach said. “He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates, but the biggest thing is, he’s not that good.”

Even now, Sanders seems to be undervalued. Following a Pro Bowl performance, several reports have featured quarterback Deshaun Watson as the QB1 for the upcoming season. When veteran Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot did the same, Sanders’ brother Shilo Sanders made a misogynistic comment against her statement. Although Sanders had no involvement, he was criticised because of his family’s involvement.

However, things seemed to have changed a bit as Shedeur was recently seen taking first-team reps under head coach Todd Monken. He seemed to have surprised many with his performance.

Shedeur Sanders is still in the race for the QB1 in the upcoming season

Earlier in the offseason, it felt that Shedeur Sanders’ hope of regaining his starting role was over. But now, with the latest developments, the 24-year-old is very much in competition for that role. The HC has split first-team reps between his two top quarterbacks. While Deshaun Watson was sharper coming off a season-long injury, Shedeur also seemed poised. There was significant improvement in his footwork and game-reading skills, and the coaches lauded him for that.

His numbers in the offseason training as well showed that his game had matured. Watson and Sanders were the only QBs who took first-team reps, while Watson had a pass completion of 67.6%, and Sanders had a 69.9% completion. However, Watson completed 20 more throws than Sanders.

However, there were some occasional mistakes. In a few sessions, he has struggled with reading defenses, resulting in tipped balls, delay of game penalties, and head-scratching interceptions. On June 11, he threw the ball right into the hands of defensive lineman Mike Hall. WR K.C. Concepcion was running freely on the left. If the QB could have thrown at him, it would have been an easy score. But he made a reading error.

Regardless, he is still improving and has made significant progress. The regular season is still far away, and there is the summer training camp before that. If Sanders can keep up the momentum, maybe he can start as QB1 and put the criticisms to rest, while also getting appreciated for his efforts.