"Jimmy Haslam wanted publicity": Skip Bayless tears into Browns ownership for jeopardizing Shedeur Sanders' breakout moment

Sports analyst Skip Bayless criticized the Cleveland Browns ownership on Wednesday for its treatment of Shedeur Sanders. He accused Browns owner Jimmy Haslam of drafting Sanders for publicity.

Cleveland selected the former Colorado quarterback in the fifth round in April, after picking Dillon Gabriel. He has since been in a battle for a place in the Browns’ quarterback room, with Gabriel, Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco ahead of him.

“It has just torn me apart that Shedeur Sanders, on the doorstep of doing something revolutionary, pulled an oblique muscle and couldn't play Saturday in the Browns' second preseason game, which allowed Dillon Gabriel to take over the stage as the other rookie quarterback who was taken 50 slots above Shedeur," Bayless said, via " The Skip Bayless Show."

"Fifty slots, because nobody in Cleveland wanted Shedeur except for the owner, Jimmy Haslam, who stepped in and said, 'That's enough. Take him.' Jimmy Haslam wanted the buzz, the publicity. It was, for him, sort of a publicity stunt.”

Sanders impressed fans and analysts in his preseason debut against the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8, with Gabriel and Pickett out with injury. He was expected to start versus the Philadelphia Eagles last Saturday but was sidelined after injuring his oblique.

Joe Flacco beats Shedeur Sanders, two others to starting quarterback job

After an open quarterback competition lasting into their preseason camp, the Cleveland Browns announced their QB1 for the 2025 season. Joe Flacco will lead their offense, starting in the Week 1 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Flacco beat Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Kenny Pickett to the job. Flacco played for the Indianapolis Colts last season, earning six starts. He posted a 2-4 record while completing 65.3% pass attempts for 1,761 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Flacco has not started any game for the Browns this preseason, which made the QB1 announcement surprising to many. Sanders completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns against the Panthers on Aug. 8.

With the starting role decided, Sanders will shift his focus on winning the battle to be Flacco’s backup and making the team’s roster. However, to achieve that, he has an oblique injury and two other quarterbacks to beat.