2025 was a clear mixed bag for Shedeur Sanders, but there's still hope. According to legendary NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham, Sanders just needs that one chance to turn himself into the franchise QB the Browns need.

Speaking on the All the Smoke podcast, Cunningham said:

"The treatment and everything he’s going through, whew, that’s a lot. And I was so happy he got that victory against the Raiders here in Vegas. But I like him, I love that kid. And I’ve never met him before, but I love him.”

After a disastrous debut against the Ravens, Sanders received a lot of criticism. Having ended the game with a 25% completion rate and taking 2 sacks, many doubted his ability as a backup QB. However, against the Raiders, he found some solid ground, throwing 1 touchdown and 209 yards.

"And I’m telling you, once he gets a real opportunity and has all the weapons around him and a defense and everything and they just say, ‘Hey, OK, we’re just going to go with you,’ you’re going to see the same kid you saw in college. The most dynamic player playing quarterback. The kid is good. He’s really good."

Sanders already has one of those things. In the attack, he has young stars like Harold Fannin Jr., Quinshon Judkins, and Dylan Sampson. However, he needs protection from the O-line. This season, Sanders was sacked 23 times, limiting his opportunities. Similarly, even Dillon Gabriel, another of the Browns' rookie QBs, was sacked 19 times this season.

The Browns now have a few picks in the 2026 Draft. If they bolster their line in the draft and through trades, it could be all that Shedeur needs to shine.

Randall Cunningham believes unnecessary criticism follows Shedeur Sanders

Cunningham added that Shedeur faces unfair expectations as Deion Sanders' son, but he admires how the young quarterback has handled it.

“There’s a stigma of being a Sanders and the Prime Time and all of that. And I think that that kind of overshadows who he is. Because he’s a great kid. I watch his interviews, and I’m like, ‘Man, I wish I was wise like that when I first got in there.”

With the coming season, Shedeur Sanders has the opportunity to shut his critics, but will he be able to?

Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar