Kevin Stefanski Challenged Shedeur Sanders. The Browns’ Rookie QB Stepped Up

Henry McKenna

NFL Reporter

When a Cleveland Browns quarterback throws a landing within the preseason, it is often no large deal. When the Browns’ QB threw a landing on Friday night time, his father tweeted in celebration: “Sure lawd! Sure. @ShedeurSanders.” As benign as which will appear, the tweet reached two million folks by early Saturday morning.

That’s the Shedeur Sanders expertise. And the Deion Sanders expertise.

However that’s additionally why Sanders has been adamant that his father not attend Browns coaching camp. The rookie QB, now notorious for his historic slide to the fifth spherical of the 2025 draft, stated he didn’t need the thrill and distraction that his father introduced. As a result of when Deion Sanders does one thing — something — it’s a headline. So when Shedeur does one thing — something — it’s a headline.

However each of Sanders’ landing passes in opposition to the Carolina Panthers on Friday have been headline-worthy. After nothing however uncertainty since he declared for the NFL Draft, Sanders started to supply readability — proof. He may sometime be a beginning NFL QB. He may quickly be a beginning NFL QB.

On his first landing cross, Sanders used play-action to roll out to his left. He flipped his hips into throwing place and waited for his receiver to get open. And within the tightest of home windows, Sanders zipped the ball between defenders for a landing to receiver Kaden Davis.

The second landing was equally spectacular. Sanders moved off his first possibility in his development and slid to his proper to elude strain earlier than firing the ball into one other tight window for a landing. He made a tough play look straightforward.

Coach Kevin Stefanski didn’t make issues straightforward on Sanders. The Browns spent a number of sequence with their second-team offense going through off in opposition to Carolina’s starters. And on a fourth-and-2, Stefanski went empty formation. That call appeared like a message: Present me one thing, Shedeur. And which may have been too aggressive, as a result of Sanders’ first possibility was tightly lined and strain got here so rapidly and he didn’t have time to throw for the second possibility, who did not separate till it was too late.

However that mistake — partly on Sanders and partly on his offensive line — didn’t outline his sport. The touchdowns did. They confirmed his resilience and poise.

“There’s various things and completely different life classes that you have to undergo. I have not went by means of this example that I am in — ever,” Sanders stated throughout his postgame press convention. “It is actually only a check, I believe, from God — or whoever it is from. It is only a check. I am grateful I used to be in a position to see the day of sunshine and make a play. They did not should let me play. So something and every little thing is sweet for me.”

Right now final month, I questioned when Shedeur Sanders would present us who he was. There was the nice: proof that he was grinding away at his craft. And there was the dangerous: a pair of rushing tickets. That adopted many experiences that he fully whiffed on the pre-draft course of, beginning with interviews in Indianapolis on the NFL Mix.

However on Friday night time at Carolina — for all of the fanfare, for all of the media consideration, for all the celebrity — Sanders went out and performed quarterback in all the identical methods he did at Colorado.

“I felt like myself on the market,” Sanders stated. “Whenever you’re on the market on the sphere, it’s completely different. Ball is ball. Ball’s by no means been an issue for me. It’s regardless of the optics are that everyone makes up after — outdoors the sport. However within the sport, I do know who I’m.”

His efficiency wasn’t spotless. He took two sacks. He scrambled longer than he wanted to. And he tried to do an excessive amount of.

“I really feel like the place I wish to go, that wasn’t adequate,” Sanders stated. “There was incompletions on the market.”

There’ll nearly all the time be incompletions. However he didn’t have a single turnover-worthy play. He completed 14-of-23 for 138 yards and two touchdowns. He made straightforward throws and onerous ones. He threw to wide-open receivers and into tight home windows. Briefly, he did every little thing the Browns may’ve requested him to do. And that’s little question why tight finish David Njoku and Sanders have been chatting — each with huge smiles — on the sideline because the second quarter drew to a detailed.

“In life, I do not need anyone to make excuses,” Sanders stated after the sport. “There’s two methods you’ll be able to take a look at it. You may take a look at it and be grateful and benefit from the chance. Or you’ll be able to take a look at it like, ‘Dang, that is what I’m asking for and I am not ready.’

“I might say I’ll sleep good tonight.”

Positive, it is simply preseason. The Panthers have a foul protection. And sure, I do know that, despite the fact that Carolina’s starters performed, they have been working in vanilla defenses. However the level of the preseason is to achieve no matter circumstances you face. Sanders did that. He had the poise to direct visitors on a second-and-12 to ship Luke Floriea downfield previous a bunch of defenders — and so they linked up for a 30-yard reception.

There’s little question there have been points with Sanders’ efficiency. And most of them stemmed from his need to do an excessive amount of. His incessant over-scrambling was a problem at Colorado. That was a knock on him popping out of the draft: Does he play an excessive amount of hero ball? There’s room for progress. And little question, he hasn’t climbed all the way in which as much as the beginning spot.

However, man, he climbed on Friday night time. Sanders seized his first alternative. And when he will get his subsequent one, he’ll should do it once more. And once more. Till he’s gone from QB5 to QB1. His first preseason sport put him in a great place to contend.

Given what we noticed through the draft, that is all he may ask for.

Earlier than becoming a member of FOX Sports activities as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years protecting the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Observe him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.

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