Travis Kelce requires Browns to start out Shedeur Sanders amid controversy

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Travis Kelce has spoken out in regards to the ongoing controversy over Shedeur Sanders ' position with the Cleveland Browns.

Throughout his "New Heights" podcast this week, the Kansas City Chiefs star stated he believes the Browns ought to begin Sanders, who's third on the crew's depth chart behind veteran Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel.

Travis Kelce spoke about Shedeur Sanders' position with the Browns on the most recent episode of the "New Heights" podcast, which aired earlier than the official begin of the NFL season. (Imagn)

"Give the individuals what they need, when it comes to the Browns followers. Begin Shedeur. … Put him in coach," Kelce stated. "Give the individuals what they need. The world needs to see him go on the market, and never solely play, however have success. At this level, guys are rooting for him. This is not something in opposition to Dillon. This is not something in opposition to Joe. I am simply saying the joy is there for [Sanders] to go on the market. He'll put eyes on the display screen. He'll carry individuals to the sport.

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"I'd like to f---ing see it, man."

Quite the opposite, Kelce's brother and co-host, Jason Kelce, defended the crew naming Joe Flacco because the starter.

"[Browns head coach Kevin] Stefanski and the Browns are attempting to do the factor that they really feel offers them the perfect likelihood to win soccer video games," Jason stated. "If the Browns and Kevin Stefanski felt their best choice and probably the most assured possibility they needed to win video games was Shedeur Sanders, they might be enjoying him."

Nonetheless, Jason conceded that he "needs" to see Sanders play.

"What do I need? I wish to see Shedeur Sanders," Jason stated.

Jason additionally rejected the "conspiracies" surrounding the state of affairs as to why Sanders is as low on the depth chart as he's.

Criticism and conspiracy theories directed on the Browns reemerged after the crew's preseason finale on Saturday.

Sanders entered the sport within the third quarter and accomplished three of six passes for 14 yards, whereas taking 5 sacks for a mixed lack of 41 yards in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams . He netted minus-27 yards for Cleveland earlier than being pulled from the sport on the ultimate drive and changed by veteran Tyler Huntley.

Huntley led the Browns' offense on a game-winning area objective drive, and the Browns gained 19-17.

It was a far cry from Sanders' first preseason sport in opposition to the Carolina Panthers Aug. 8, when he threw for 2 touchdowns and was praised by followers and sports activities stars, together with LeBron James and Daybreak Staley.

Nevertheless, many followers and pundits have been fast to defend Sanders for his tough outing on Saturday and blamed the Browns' teaching for placing Sanders able the place he needed to depend on backup teammates whereas additionally calling questionable performs.

EX-NBA PLAYER MAKES SHEDEUR SANDERS-LEBRON JAMES COMPARISON AFTER QB'S PRESEASON DEBUT

Jason Kelce on the ESPN postseason countdown set through the 2025 Professional Bowl Video games at Tenting World Stadium Feb. 2, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Pictures)

Former NFL quarterback Derek Carr questioned why Sanders wasn't left within the sport to complete the ultimate drive.

"I would like to grasp why we do not get to see Shedeur Sanders run this 2-minute drill? Would not you wish to see your younger QB function on this state of affairs? Get him extra reps for the longer term? I did not see the entire sport so possibly he already confirmed sufficient? Assist me perceive this..." Carr wrote on X.

Sports activities discuss present host Skip Bayless posted a 16-minute rant in protection of Sanders on X, whereas condemning the Browns for his or her dealing with of the quarterback.

"They sabotaged it. They rigged it in opposition to him right this moment, placing him in with third- and fourth-stringers, fifth-stringers. You bought no shot at quarterback," Bayless stated.

Different customers on social media leveled related criticisms on the Browns, with some speculating that the obstacles being put in entrance of the quarterback are intentional.

Previous to that sport, NFL Corridor of Famer Eric Dickerson stoked conspiracy theories associated to Sanders in a latest interview, claiming that NFL groups have been "advised to not" draft Sanders to "make an instance" of the quarterback when he fell to the fifth spherical of the NFL Draft in April.

"I inform you this a lot, what I heard from somebody that is within the NFL [is] that the NFL advised [teams], 'Do not draft him, don't draft him,'" Dickerson stated in a latest interview on the "Roggin and Rodney" present on AM 570 LA Sports activities.

"'We'll make an instance out of him.' And this got here from an excellent supply, an excellent supply. They have been going to have him not get drafted to principally present you, 'That is what occurs while you do that.' I imply, look, the NFL's acquired every kind of energy. They do every kind of stuff."

Sanders' slide out of the primary spherical shocked many, together with President Donald Trump, who condemned the league's house owners for passing on the quarterback in a Reality Social publish.

ESPN host Stephen A. Smith revealed a textual content message from an affiliate who in contrast the state of affairs to Colin Kaepernick being out of the NFL since 2016, suggesting "collusion."

"'It is a unhealthy search for the NFL. This appears like Kaepernick-level collusion,'" Smith stated of the content material of the textual content, including the state of affairs goes past "expertise analysis."

"All of the onerous work the NFL League Workplace places in to eradicate these sorts of perceptions, solely to show round and watch because the OWNERS seem like they’re colluding, messing up every part. What has been finished to Shedeur will outshine every part else on this draft. We’ll by no means consider that is about simply expertise analysis once more."

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles throughout a sport at Lincoln Monetary Subject. (Kyle Ross/Imagn Pictures)

Sanders was ultimately taken by the Browns on the third and remaining day of the draft with the 144th choose. The quarterback was initially thought-about a potential contender for the primary total choose early within the draft course of after ending his remaining season at Colorado.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports activities author for Fox Information Digital. He beforehand labored for ESPN and Enterprise Insider. Jackson has coated the Tremendous Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.