“You have to feel bad for Shedeur Sanders”: Emmanuel Acho blasts Kevin Stefanski over “bullsh*t” stance on Deion Sanders’ son

Emmanuel Acho didn’t hold back when discussing Kevin Stefanski’s handling of Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The former NFL linebacker turned analyst called out the coach for hesitating to give Sanders the backup role, saying the indecision borders on disrespect.

Acho weighed in after Cleveland’s quarterback shuffle once again left Sanders waiting on the sidelines. Stefanski’s unwillingness to confirm him as the No. 2 behind Dillon Gabriel came just days after the team traded Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals.

"Shedeur Sanders should be the backup, period," Acho said on Thursday, via "Speakeasy." "Bailey Zappe, who Kevin Stefanski is currently trying to figure out if he's going to be the number two, you've seen him play in Cleveland before.

"And now that it's time for Shedeur to get a turn, you're like, 'Ah, you know this Bailey Zappe dude, we got to see what we feel about him.' You saw him. He was bad. Regardless of how you feel about Shedeur, at this point, you have to feel bad for Shedeur, because what the heck is this?"

Acho also posted on X, expressing how upset he was.

"Kevin Stefanski not knowing if Shedeur Sanders should be ahead of Bailey Zappe is complete bull sh*t. Sorry for yelling, but I’m upset," Acho tweeted.

Emmanuel Acho

@EmmanuelAcho

Kevin Stefanski not knowing if Shedeur Sanders should be ahead of Bailey Zappe is complete bull sh*t. Sorry for yelling, but I’m upset. 🤬

The Browns moved Flacco and a 2026 sixth-round pick to Cincinnati on Tuesday in exchange for a 2026 fifth-rounder. It left Gabriel and Sanders as the only active quarterbacks on the roster.

Kevin Stefanski gets candid about his philosophy of decision-making regarding Shedeur Sanders

NFL: Cleveland Browns at Detroit Lions - Source: Imagn

Kevin Stefanski declined to confirm on Wednesday who would serve as Dillon Gabriel’s backup for the Week 6 divisional matchup versus Pittsburgh. The coach made it clear that the decision would depend on how the week unfolds in practice.

"All roster type of things, I always have to be mindful of our players and our players' development," Stefanski said, via ESPN. "And I want to make sure that I'm always doing what's best for our players, and of course, our team.

"But with young players, I'm always thinking about -- last week, making the change to Dillon, you have to think long and hard about that, because these are young players that you are so invested in their development. So, I'll let the week play out [and] make a decision later."

Bailey Zappe, who was briefly with Kansas City after being released by Cleveland last winter, returned to the Browns’ practice squad in August.

Stefanski admitted that the Joe Flacco trade caught the organization off guard, noting that the Bengals initiated talks and Andrew Berry completed the deal quickly. The Browns are 1-4 and at the bottom of the AFC North while Deshaun Watson continues to rehab from an Achilles injury.