Shedeur Sanders sat down with Aaron Steinberg, the host of One Night with Steingy, and reflected on his experience with media, narratives, and whether he is treated based on how he is perceived. 

When asked if the locker room had treated him differently amid the scrutiny, Sanders said the news cycle had not impacted either his teammates or the coaching staff.

“Anybody that been around me know my character; they know how I am. It doesn't really affect me what people think, because they don't know,” Sanders said.

The 23-year-old was among the most talked-about NFL rookies in 2025, largely due to the Cleveland Browns’ struggles and his own inconsistent performances. The attention followed him from college, where his high-profile tenure at Colorado under his father, Deion Sanders, placed him in the spotlight.

Despite entering the league as a highly discussed quarterback prospect, Sanders fell to the fifth round and was selected 144th overall by the Browns.

Despite the unexpected fall, Sanders remained confident, declaring, “I’m who they’ve been looking for.” But he couldn’t follow up on the statement.

In his first-ever game in Week 11, Sanders completed only 4 throws out of 16 and was sacked twice in a 23-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Sanders’ statement gained him a bad reputation.

After Stefanski benched the rookie QB, he managed to make seven touchdowns in eight games. Columnist Jason Lloyd called him a “hindrance” in the team’s development. 

“Shedeur should not be on this team next year. I think he's a really good kid, it's just the nonsense that comes with it.”

Lloyd was one among many who shared similar views. But it appears the Sanders doesn’t pay heed to valid criticism either. 

“Right or wrong? It's within themselves to judge. And that’s between them and god,” he added.

As per Sanders, the off-season has given him a newer approach towards the game. He said that he doesn’t stress over his ability to control what narratives are made about him.

“I was a part of everything that people say was true. That people say wasn’t true. So I know, so it doesn’t really affect me,” he said. 

Sanders’ Charisma and Fans Have Outweighed His Criticism

Former head coach Kevin Stefanski and quarterback Gabriel were booed by fans after some believed Gabriel was set to replace Sanders in Week 15.

Following the incident, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot raised concerns about Sanders’ influence.

“He brings with him something big and powerful that would be difficult to deal with if you were trying to throw all of your support behind a No. 1 pick,” she said.

“I don’t think you could ignore the fact that he’s larger than life in so many ways,” she said. “And he does have that sort of Tim Tebow-ish effect.”

Take his jersey sales into account. Sanders’ no. 12 Browns jersey was the franchise’s best-selling to date. It is estimated that he earned around $14 million in commission out of the $250 million in sales. 

Despite the criticism surrounding his performance, Sanders remains a popular figure among fans and on social media

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Joyita Das