Deion Sanders’ opinions on son Shedeur’s new team and teammates are resurfacing, and Coach Prime isn’t very complimentary.
Shedeur was a star quarterback for his 57-year-old father and head coach at Colorado and Jackson State before plummeting from a projected first-round pick to the 144th overall selection of this year’s NFL Draft.
And while the 23-year-old rookie thanked God on X after being drafted by the Browns, Shedeur’s arrival in Cleveland follows some harsh words from his Hall-of-Fame father. In 2018, Deion suggested any incoming rookie quarterback being eyed by the Browns with the first pick find a way to leverage a trade, as Eli Manning famously did with the Chargers and Giants in 2004.
‘I love what the @Browns have done this offseason but if im a young QB ain’t no way im going to Cleveland,’ Sanders wrote. ‘I would pull a ELI MANNING If possible. #ThinkAboutthat #Truth.
Sanders was still working as an NFL analyst and high school football coach at the time of the post, which came weeks before the team drafted Heisman winner Baker Mayfield first overall.
In fairness to Deion, as well as current Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry, Coach Prime was referring to a team that was still being led by Hue Jackson, who wouldn’t even survive the 2018 season in Cleveland.
Shedeur Sanders and his Hall-of-Fame father Deion Sanders at the 14th Annual NFL Honors
Joe Flacco is returning for a second stint with the Cleveland Browns at age 40 this season
Since then, the Browns have been through 13 quarterbacks, not to mention the two that they drafted this week: Oregon‘s Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur.
Cleveland now enters the offseason with an injured Deshaun Watson, who will count for $36 million against the salary cap, Kenny Pickett, who is joining his third team in four NFL seasons, two rookies and a 40-year-old Joe Flacco, now in his second stint with Cleveland.
And don’t get Deion started on Flacco.
In a recent pre-draft clip, which has similarly resurfaced since Shedeur was drafted by Cleveland, Coach Prime is heard dismissing the veteran quarterback over his age.
‘I’m telling you who they got,’ Shedeur tells Deion over thumping music playing in the background. ‘They got Joe Flacco.’
‘Flacco my age!’ Deion yelled in response while struggling to compete with the blaring bass.
Serving as an NFL analyst, Coach Prime’s 2018 tweet was referring to a team that was still being led by Hue Jackson, who wouldn’t even survive the 2018 season in Cleveland
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, left, talks with quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) during a timeout in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Central Florida
He’s off by 17 years, but Deion did retire as a member of the Ravens four seasons before Flacco arrived in Baltimore as a rookie.
Deion’s comments aside, Shedeur seemed thankful to be picked by Cleveland on Saturday.
‘I would say I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity throughout everything,’ Sanders told local reporters.
‘I don’t ever focus on the negative or even think about the negative because the positive happened so fast and it’s a change of emotions,’ he continued. ‘For me, it was just playing quarterback. That’s what it’s about.
‘You can’t be up, too low or anything. You got to be able to celebrate. And when we score a touchdown, we celebrate for a little bit. Now, it’s back to, time to work, it’s time to go.’
