"I’m who they’ve been looking for. A lot of people want to see me fail and it ain’t going to happen." Shedeur Sanders made a bold statement after winning against the Las Vegas Raiders. And we're not talking just about his words. A 209-yard performance with a touchdown was good enough for Browns fans. But it made them wonder, was there something Sanders was not saying?

Some fans thought so, as rumors about a dispute with Kevin Stefanski began to surface. With Stefanski handing the game ball to Myles Garrett instead of Sanders, as coaches have done after a rookie's first win, these rumors got louder.

And despite Kevin Stefanski naming Shedeur Sanders as the starter for Week 12 against the 49ers over Dillon Gabriel, the questions didn't stop. A reporter asked him directly: “Your supporters out there say that Kevin Stefanski was sabotaging you.”

Sanders didn’t hesitate. He looked right at the reporter and said, “So you just wanna start trouble, huh?” Sanders went on to explain, “Well, what people do outside the building isn’t really in my control… that’s nothing I can control. Overall, I’m just happy to be here. Coach Stefanski’s been coaching since I got here and has been doing a very great job with everything that’s going on.”

We've seen this before from Shedeur, being able to disconnect from controversy surrounding him. For instance, right after the Raiders game, he made it clear that he wasn't nervous, especially after the troubling Ravens game. " I felt very relaxed. And half of that comes from preparing, studying, and knowing I got God on my side. So throughout all that, I had no worries. I had. I didn't feel nervous or anything before the game..."

As for his relationship with Stefanski, the rookie explained they're making big strides. “He tells me what I need to do on and off the field. We’ve definitely grown. Our relationship and everything have grown. I’m just thankful to be here.”

Besides, it's not just Sanders who's learning the ropes. Even Stefanski is working to build a solid quarterback. Let's hear what he has to say. "He's always done a nice job of that. What we appreciate about all of our players is authenticity. He's the same guy every single day. Obviously game day, there's juice that comes with that. There's excitement that comes with that, but he's played that position for a long time. He knows how to make sure he keeps the main thing."

And with the Browns already looking ahead to the future, this is the perfect time to see what Sanders can really become. He may not have everything figured out yet, but he’s showing he’s willing to learn and stand strong when the pressure hits.

Do you think Sanders handled the question the right way? And do you feel the criticism toward Stefanski is fair or blown out of proportion?

Written by

Mohd Mudabbir Ansari

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar