Debate around Shedeur Sanders intensified after his Pro Bowl nod, with some praising the milestone and others questioning how he got there. One voice that never wavered, though, belongs to his father, Deion Sanders, who publicly clarified how the selection process works-and why his son’s recognition wasn’t simply a fan vote.
Speaking on the We Got Time Today podcast, Coach Prime pushed back on the idea that popularity alone carried Shedeur to the honor.
My son did something that I didn’t do. He made the Pro Bowl in his first year. I made mine in my third year. But most people don’t know that the major percentage is from the coaches and the players, their selection. Then the fans get a smaller percentage of votes. It’s not just the fan thing.
In the Pro Bowl system, fans account for one-third of the vote, while NFL players and coaches make up the rest. Deion’s point was clear: Shedeur earned respect inside locker rooms, not just online.
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From fifth-round pick to Pro Bowl replacement for Shedeur
The road there was anything but smooth. The Cleveland Browns selected Shedeur in the fifth round at No. 144 overall-50 spots after Dillon Gabriel. He was not viewed as a priority quarterback, and early criticism followed him from college, where he absorbed a historic number of sacks.
Yet his rookie season forced a reevaluation. Shedeur started seven games, appeared in eight, completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and posted a 68.1 passer rating. Cleveland finished 3-4 in his starts.
Initially, the AFC Pro Bowl quarterback list featured Drake Maye, Justin Herbert, and Josh Allen. Injuries reshuffled the depth chart across the conference. With Maye’s team advancing to the Super Bowl and several other quarterbacks sidelined, Shedeur was called up as a replacement-ending a Browns drought at the position that dated back to Derek Anderson in 2008.
Former NFL cornerback Richard Sherman backed the achievement.
“I’m happy for sure,” Sherman said. “He has all those things, just like his dad, the great Deion Sanders, if they stop giving credit for alternates.”
Cam Newton questions the legitimacy of Pro Bowl bid for Sanders
Not everyone is convinced. Cam Newton doubled down on prior criticism, suggesting the honor says more about optics than on-field production.
“When you talk about how did Shedeur make it and they ain’t even got Trevor Lawrence? Man, look, bro, it’s a popularity contest at the end of the day. Because it’s still a business,” Newton said.
That skepticism echoes earlier comments Newton made about Shedeur’s demeanor and readiness for the league. Nearly a year later, his stance hasn’t softened.
A fresh start for Shedeur with Todd Monken
Amid the noise, Shedeur appears to have strong backing from new Browns head coach Todd Monken, who made his support unmistakable in a viral clip.
We tried to draft your (expletive) last year for God’s sake, it all worked out. You remember that, right? Some day we’ll get a chance to talk about that.
With Monken-fresh off championship runs at Georgia-now leading the offense, 2026 shapes up as a defining year. Whether critics view his Pro Bowl as symbolic or earned, Shedeur Sanders has already forced his way into the NFL conversation.
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