"This is why he fell to the 5th round": NFL fans bash Shedeur Sanders for going full mime over remaining Browns QB3

Shedeur Sanders will continue riding the bench for the 2025 season. On Wednesday, the Cleveland Browns announced that his fellow rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel would be starting their Week 5 game against the Minnesota Vikings in London on Sunday, keeping the son of Hall of Famer Deion on the bench as the QB3.

He responded by doing this mime when interviewed inside the team's locker room (video initially shot by Justin Cooper, producer for ESPN Cleveland):

And there was much negativity over it from fans:

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"Mel Kiper should be his interpreter," one "recommended".

"Please shut the (censored) up!" another begged.

"Just cut him, please. He needs a reality check," another demanded.

When presented with the video, insider Marc Ross also expressed disappointment:

"If Shedeur Sanders is really serious about being the franchise quarterback, it's not just about what he does on the field. It's the off-the-field situation, and instead of him just giving a professional answer - be happy for Dylan, I'm still gonna keep grinding and get my chance - now he's gone viral. ...Those guys are gonna tune him out."

Later that day, ESPN's Adam Schefter revealed the reason why Sanders mimed during his locker room interview. It was in response to former veteran head coach Rex Ryan, who had had these harsh words to say about the fifth-round rookie on Monday's episode of GET UP:

“Something’s missing with this kid. This kid talks, he runs his mouth like. ‘I could be a starting quarterback’ with his arms crossed like this. Get your ass in the front row and study. If I know, the whole league knows. Quit being an embarrassment. You’ve got the talent to be the quarterback. You should be embarrassed that you’re not the quarterback now.”

Browns legend implores franchise to promote Shedeur Sanders to backup

Not everyone is wholly negative about Shedeur Sanders' prospects of getting a shot in the NFL, however. On The Top Dawgs Show, legendary former cornerback Hanford Dixon said:

"Shedeur's gotta move up to no. 2. If Dillon is not doing it, he's not cutting it, not getting it done, you gotta see what Shedeur can do!"

Kickoff for the Vikings-Browns game is at 9:30 AM ET/2:30 PM BST on the NFL Network.

About the author

Andre Castillo is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Master’s degree in Journalism. He has over seven years of working experience and has also covered MMA with FanSided, wrestling with The Sportster, and automobiles with Hot Cars.

Andre follows the New York Jets and the Washington Commanders, mostly because he likes their colors. His favorite position is tight end, and players like Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have always drawn Andre's attention when watching a game. Bill Belichick is his favorite coach, and his all-time favorite Super Bowl is the XLII edition, when the underdog New York Giants upset the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

If he can change one moment in NFL history, it will be from the NFC Championship Game in January 2019. In that game, a highly controversial no-call cost the Saints what would have been Drew Brees' second Super Bowl visit, where he would have faced Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Andre is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives in a story and ensures complete factual accuracy by double-checking all information before using it in his articles. He has an innate understanding of how to present information in an efficient and compelling way.

Outside the writing realm, Andre is a professional licensed teacher. His hobbies include watching UFC, MotoGP, playing the piano, and travelling.

Know More

Cleveland Browns Nation! Check out the latest Cleveland Browns Schedule and dive into the Browns Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Andre Castillo