"He's hosting a seminar back there": Colin Cowherd doesn't hold back after Shedeur Sanders' controversial preseason finale

Colin Cowherd didn’t sugarcoat his assessment of Shedeur Sanders’ latest performance. After the Cleveland Browns' rookie quarterback faced a difficult preseason finale, the Fox Sports Radio host pointed to a lingering flaw in Sanders’ game: holding onto the ball too long.

Cowherd, who frequently dissects quarterback play on his daily show, "The Herd," posted on X that the issue has carried over from Sanders’ time at Colorado into the NFL.

"For any young QB, your college issues will only be exacerbated in the pros. You have to clean up & speed up your game. Shedeur Sanders held the ball too long in college. Now go to YouTube and watch his pre-season snaps. He's hosting a seminar back there on most drop-backs," Cowherd said.

Colin Cowherd

@colincowherd

For any young QB, your college issues will only be exacerbated in the pros. You have to clean up & speed up your game. Shedeur Sanders held the ball too long in college. Now go to You Tube and watch his pre season snaps. He’s hosting a seminar back there on most drop backs.

The critique came after Shedeur Sanders struggled in Saturday’s exhibition against the Los Angeles Rams. The fifth-round pick completed three passes for 14 yards and went down five times in 11 dropbacks. His lack of rhythm and slow decision-making forced head coach Kevin Stefanski to turn to Tyler Huntley for the game’s final two-minute drive.

Sanders admitted he thought he would finish the contest, saying he had been preparing on the stationary bike when he learned Huntley would take over. Stefanski later emphasized that the move was about giving Huntley a chance in a situational drive.

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The rough outing contrasted with Shedeur Sanders’ preseason debut against Carolina earlier this month, when he threw for 138 yards and two touchdowns. That performance sparked optimism that he might push for playing time early, but injuries and uneven play since then have slowed his progress.

Sanders also missed the Browns’ second preseason game with an oblique injury, cutting into valuable practice and game reps during camp.

Cleveland named veteran Joe Flacco as its Week 1 starter with Dillon Gabriel earning the backup job after a steady preseason. Huntley is expected to remain on the roster, leaving Sanders as the fourth option heading into the regular season.

The Browns open Sept. 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals and Sanders will likely spend his rookie year learning behind the veterans.