On Saturday, after the Browns preseason game against the Bills, Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (You may have heard of him) was asked about his growth from the start of the offseason to Saturday’s game.
“How I improved?” Shedeur smiled. “I improved every aspect of my life. I’ll say I improve, you know, at least my relationship with God. You know, to be able to come up here every day and talk to everybody, regardless of opinions. You know, of how people - what they say online and all this different type of stuff.”
Shedeur’s grin grew as he continued “Even those that (are) sitting in front of me today. I still approach ya’ll and greet ya’ll with kindness because God gave me that.”
On the surface, anyone in the media could take Sanders’ comments as a jab. You could spin it as Shedeur saying How dare you criticize me? The problem is that he’s got a point.
Shedeur Sanders does get buried by the media, and fans, and plenty of other people online on a regular basis. The part that I think is unfair to Shedeur, is that most of it isn’t self-inflicted. Most of it comes with the territory of being the son of one of the greatest, and most outspoken, athletes in the history of American sports. Some of it comes from expectations from college, though you could argue that as a fifth round pick those expectations are unfair. Some of it comes from being named to the Pro Bowl after an underwhelming Rookie year. None of that is Shedeur Sanders’ fault.
He didn’t ask to grow up famous. He didn’t ask to be a Pro Bowler. He didn’t ask for…okay, he kind of did ask for high expectations. Every professional athlete does.
Despite being dragged by random people online, as well as the ones he takes weekly questions from, Shedeur Sanders doesn’t say things that provide a lot of headlines. He doesn’t go after writers/reporters. He finds a way to stay positive.
Deshaun Watson, on the other hand, is the opposite. Watson takes every criticism extremely personally, to the point where a few preseason boos have him complaining about the morality of Dawg Pound fans. Watson looks down his nose at reporters who ask him questions he doesn’t like.
Watson just doesn’t give the maturity that Shedeur Sanders does. No, I’m not saying Shedeur Sanders is the most mature person on the planet. Celebrating on the field for every preseason first down (That gets called back) isn’t exactly mature. Act like you’ve been there before! But also, Shedeur Sanders is 24 years old and in his second year in the NFL. Deshaun Watson is 30, and entering his 10th.
I’ll take Shedeur Sanders any day of the week, over Deshaun Watson.
-Written by Seattle Mike