1 month after draft slide, Shedeur Sanders points fingers at Coach Prime as real target of 99% hate
Shedeur Sanders' slide from potential first-round pick in the 2025 draft to round five selection was one of the biggest stories of the offseason. The Colorado Buffaloes superstar was fresh off a stellar senior year that saw him finish in the Top 10 of the 2024 Heisman Trophy voting and win the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
The Cleveland Browns eventually selected Sanders with the 144th pick. It took until Day 3 to hear his name called in this year's draft. With the rookie minicamp in the rearview mirror, Sanders has identified a reason behind most of the hate surrounding his name.
Speaking at minicamp, Sanders said:
"They don’t care about other people’s opinion of you. They go based off their own. 99% of hatred (directed at me) is toward Pops (Coach Prime). And then I am just his son... But (the children) didn’t grow up in an era to where they watched him play."
The Browns' QB continued:
"It is just the older generation that does it to me rather than the younger people. Because when I come in person, there is no negativity I see. But it is everywhere online.
"So that‘s why I say I like going in person and actually meeting them and any questions they have, I say, just ask me whatever question you want. Pick any question. No filter, no anything. That is what they say. And then I just answer whatever they need me to answer."
Shedeur Sanders has always been in the spotlight due to his father's status as one of the greatest players ever. Coach Prime, better known as Prime Time in his playing days, is a Pro Football Hall of Famer and two-time Super Bowl champion.
Shedeur is his third son, and he'll seek to carve out his legacy in the NFL. Furthermore, he has the unique ability to play the quarterback position while his father played as a cornerback and return specialist.
What's next for Shedeur Sanders and Coach Prime?
Shedeur Sanders has quite the battle to start games in his rookie season. He's joined a Browns side with four other QBs in their squad.
There are veterans Deshaun Watson (likely out for the majority of the 2025 season), Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. The Browns also drafted Dillon Gabriel in the third round of this year's draft.
Meanwhile, Coach Prime is gearing up for his first full season without his sons, Shilo and Shedeur Sanders, on his playing squads. He'll also have to lead the Colorado Buffaloes without the safety blankets of Travis Hunter, LaJohntay Wester, Jimmy Horn Jr., and others.
It'll be interesting to see how the football icon fares in his third full season as the Buffaloes' head coach.