The world’s most interesting third-string quarterback, the Browns’ Shedeur Sanders, offered a bizarre, non-verbal statement today in response to the team’s recent reshuffling. Following the news that Dillon Gabriel would start and Joe Flacco would back him up, reporters sought comment from Sanders. Rather than actually say anything, he animatedly mimed responses.
It’s one of the more bizarre moments we’ve likely seen from an NFL player in an official capacity recently. Certainly, players have said and done weird things, but Sanders’ non-verbal interview was—unusual. At least Marshawn Lynch let us know why he was here.
Although players have some level of obligation to engage with the media, I’m guessing the Browns could have managed to avoid putting Shedeur Sanders in front of a microphone just after announcing he would remain the team’s third-string quarterback. For whatever reason, they allowed or required it, and Sanders obliged.
The son of Pro Football Hall of Fame CB Deion Sanders, Shedeur was one of the most high-profile draft picks in 2025. Despite being an early favorite to go in the first round, he fell to the fifth. It didn’t help that he told some teams he would rather not play for them. The Ravens, for example, reportedly had interest in drafting him, but he didn’t want to be stuck behind Lamar Jackson.
Even the Browns initially passed on Sanders, drafting Dillon Gabriel in the third round. As Sanders continued to fall, they traded up in the fifth round to grab him. Despite a strong preseason debut, however, he finished third on the depth chart.
Joe Flacco seemingly was always going to be the Browns’ starter, at least once Kenny Pickett’s injury prevented him from competing. Both Gabriel and Sanders had injury issues, as well. Sanders missed the Browns’ second preseason game and then struggled in the third. Gabriel didn’t do anything spectacular, himself. Nor does it sound like he did anything spectacular in practice—Flacco has just been bad.
Meanwhile, Shedeur Sanders recently let people know that he believes he’s better than some of the starting quarterbacks in the NFL right now. Now, I believe every player should have that type of belief in themselves. Given Sanders’ place on the Browns’ depth chart and his high-profile stature, however, it came off negatively to some.
But how is a miming reaction to being stuck as the third-string quarterback helping his case or his image? What are his coaches or teammates going to think about this weird interaction? I understand that, perhaps, he’s trying to say that there is nothing he can say that will play in his favor.
But then why stand in front of microphones and put on this charade? He surely knew that it would go viral, as it’s beginning to do. Because it’s weird. And you don’t want your third-string quarterbacks to be weird, even if they don’t want to be third-string.
