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Shedeur Sanders draft row: Coach Prime explodes over shocking NFL-Browns allegations
Shedeur Sanders entered the field for the Cleveland Browns' preseason finale vs the Los Angeles Rams to loud cheers.
Shedeur Sanders entered the field for the Cleveland Browns' preseason finale vs the Los Angeles Rams to loud cheers. Fans across the Huntington Bank Field seemed excited to see the rookie, who is also the son of legendary coach Deion Sanders, aka Coach Prime. However, this comes as claims about NFL officials being involved in Shedeur's infamous draft slip emerged.
According to former running back Eric Dickerson, NFL officials pressured teams not to pick Sanders, and the Browns were pressured into selecting the Colorado star at 144th overall. The Hall of Famer cited sources.
“The NFL told [teams], 'Don't draft him. We're going to make an example of him.' And this comes from a very good source,” Dickerson said.
After such rumors surfaced first, it was commentator Dick Vitale who showed support for the Cleveland quarterback.
On August 21, Vitale wrote: “I'm rooting hard for @ShedeurSanders and any athlete who gets a raw deal. I hope he proves that he should have NEVER been a 5th-round pick. Hope he becomes a success for the @Browns who drafted him in the 5th round.”
“Absolutely hoping Shedeur Sanders makes all the teams that passed on him eat their hearts out by becoming a legit starting NFL quarterback,” he further added on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
Deion Sanders responds
Coach Prime was quick to respond. "Love ya man, and I've always appreciated your Truth! God bless Hero," he tweeted.
Meanwhile, it seems like Shedeur will have to wait for his turn once the regular season starts. The Browns announced that veteran Joe Flacco will be the starting quarterback vs Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1.
Flacco, 40, sat out the Browns' first two preseason games. Dillon Gabriel and Sanders led the side.
"We still anticipate all of our players, whether you're a starter or not, to prepare like you're the starter," Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski said earlier Monday.
"Knowing all of our players in that room, that's exactly what they'll do."
Flacco has been taking the majority of the first-team reps this month on the practice field.
"We're working towards Week 1," Stefanski said. "That's part of what this week is about, getting our football team ready. So, we'll make all those types of determinations in the next couple of days."
Flacco said recently that training camp was going smoothly for him.
"The last couple of weeks, honestly, it's been pretty good for me," Flacco said last Wednesday. “I've gotten to get more reps and get comfortable and feel like I'm doing things at a pretty high level.”
(With AP inputs)
