The football world reacted with surprise and concern after Sheddur Sanders discovered he was not a starter following the Browns’ recent quarterback changes. In response to a reporter’s question, he opted for silence.
His father’s reaction, however, was different.
On Wednesday, the Browns announced that Joe Flacco would be the starting quarterback, pushing rookie Dillon Gabriel onto the field.
Reporters inquired about Sanders’ role, but he chose not to answer verbally.
This reaction raised questions about Sanders’ maturity and mental state, but his father, Dion, had a different take.
After sharing a series of laughing emojis, Elder Sanders commented:
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Sanders’ silent response was likely aimed at former NFL coach Rex Ryan, who criticized him during Monday’s broadcast of get up.
“This kid moves his mouth like, ‘I could be a starting quarterback.’ He crossed his arms like this. Put your butt in the front row and study and do everything. If I know, the whole league knows,” Ryan remarked. “Stop being so embarrassing. You got to make talent a quarterback. You should be embarrassed that you’re not a quarterback now.”
On one hand, it’s surprising that Dion Sanders publicly acknowledged his son’s noticeable immaturity; it’s a clear wake-up call, especially since Sanders not only lost the starter position but was also overlooked for backup.
On the other hand, I suppose it’s not entirely surprising. Did Sanders really think that miming and acting could be a good strategy? Maybe he genuinely believes what he does is commendable. Or perhaps he thinks capturing media attention matters, even if it’s not as crucial as performing on the field?
In any case, you can see where the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree. Being Deion Sanders’ son comes with some perks, but it seems one lesson missed was how to conduct oneself like an adult.
