ESPN’s Tony Grossi recently shared his perspective on a tense interaction with Chedure Sanders following the Browns’ preseason game on Friday night.
Grosi approached the rookie quarterback after Sanders had an impressive debut with Cleveland.
“Tony, I hope you have something positive to say about me,” Sanders mentioned in a video that appeared on Deion Sanders Jr.’s YouTube channel. He added, “It seems like you only say negative things about me, and honestly, I’m not going to do anything to you.”
Smiling, Sanders continued, “I haven’t heard you say anything good.” He jokingly asked, “What will I do to you, Tony?” as he walked away.
On Monday, during his show “The Daily Grossi” on ESPN Cleveland, Grossi reflected on the encounter, noting that he was taken aback by Sanders’ comments, but felt the exchange was “thoughtful.”
“It’s interesting that we started a conversation,” Grossi stated. He explained that when Sanders was walking to the locker room, he called out to ask another question, leading to this candid discussion. “I appreciated that he didn’t express any frustration from the podium,” he added.
The video posted by Sanders’ brother surprised Grossi and raised some concerns for him. “I wasn’t exactly thrilled that our chat was recorded without my consent,” he noted. He acknowledged that it’s understandable since it’s his brother documenting his rookie season but mentioned the need for increased awareness about such moments.
Grossi expressed some surprise at Sanders bringing up the topic during such a significant night for him. He assumed Sanders was joking, thinking that given his standout performance, it shouldn’t have been a huge deal. Regardless, Grossi mentioned that they had a friendly interaction during practice afterward, indicating that they have moved past it.
This exchange occurred shortly after Sanders’ press conference, where he showcased 138 passing yards and two touchdowns in a game that ended with the Panthers winning 30-10.
After the game, Grossi made sure to offer the praise that Sanders was looking for, stating on his next appearance on ESPN Cleveland, “I thought Chedure was excellent.” He later elaborated, saying, “Overall, my impression of Chedure Sanders’ strong debut is that he has put pressure on QB2 Kenny Pickett and QB3 Dillon Gabriel to step up and perform next week.”
