The Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders made his NFL debut on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens after starter Dillon Gabriel left the game with a concussion, but he has already been criticized after his November 16 cameo.
The long-awaited debut, however, was far from smooth as Sanders, who waited 11 weeks for his first game action, completed just four of 16 passes for 47 yards, throwing one interception.
His struggles on the field have sparked criticism not just of the player but also of the Browns‘ coaching staff as Cleveland radio host Tony Rizzo publicly blamed coach Kevin Stefanski and his team for Sanders‘ lack of preparation.
“I’ll be the first one to admit it, the kid looked awful,” Rizzo said on his show, placing responsibility on the coaches’ planning. “But whose fault is that?
“The guy is one play away and you’re not prepping him? How is that possible?”
While Rizzo acknowledged Sanders still has work to do on his game, he highlighted coaching deficiencies as a significant factor in the rookie’s struggles as the pressure grows on the 23-year-old.
“Number one; Shedeur showed everybody that he has got a long way to go, lot of work,” Rizzo explained. “He is not going to get the work here in Cleveland and number two; this coaching staff, give them the goodbye, how did the fourth and one work out?”
Sanders got the opportunity to run the offense after Gabriel was sidelined due to a concussion.
He was sacked twice in the second half and completed only 25 percent of his passes, prompting self-reflection on his performance but did show promise with a late incompletion in the end zone.
The youngster had the ball on a third-and-five with 1:08 to go in the fourth quarter, knowing a touchdown and conversion would see the Browns take the lead with little time for Lamar Jackson to respond.
But his 25-yard attempt proved incomplete when the cornerback for the Ravens got in between the ball and Gage Larvadain, meaning the chance for the game-tying TD passed over the team.
Regardless, the narrow miss showed what he is capable of despite the poor statline, with it likely he will only improve with time and learning.
Deion Sanders’ emotional reaction to Shedeur’s first snaps
Shedeur‘s father and the Colorado Buffaloes’ head coach Deion Sanders, was not at the game. He attended a coaching clinic but revealed he was moved to tears when learning his son would enter the contest for the Browns during Week 11.
Deion, affectionately dubbed Coach Prime, shared the moment during a Q&A, recounting that Deion Jr. called him to deliver the news.
“I was in tears. [Deion Jr.] called me screaming,” Sanders said. “‘Man, I’m crying right now. Leave me alone, leave me alone, leave me alone,'”
Despite the rough debut, Sanders expressed confidence in the team’s ability to rally late. He noted that more preparation and reps with the starting offense could help him improve, particularly if he is called on to start against the Raiders next week.
Looking ahead, Sanders will have a full week to prepare as the potential starter. With Gabriel‘s injury status uncertain, additional snaps could help him gain chemistry with his teammates and possibly see his father Deion present for the next opportunity.
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