Shedeur Sanders Urged to Not Let Dad Deion’s Spotlight Distract Him as NFL Reporter Sends Message to Browns

Back in high school at Trinity Christian and then at Jackson State, Shedeur Sanders had his dad, Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, calling the plays—and the shots—literally. Deion handled everything from game prep to headset checks, layering his son’s growth with that protective edge only a Hall of Fame dad-coach can. And Shedeur? Well, as a proud son, he openly admitted being totally fine with it, and even joked that his dad had “separation anxiety” during NFL interviews. But that wasn’t all.

That bond followed them to Colorado, where Coach Prime’s hands-on style didn’t let up. You would find Deion in almost every quarterback drill, every offensive meeting, dialing up that father-coach energy day in, day out. Though this frequent father-son interaction was often criticized, experts were concerned whether such interactions are feasible in the long term. But Shedeur never saw it as a burden. He said, “I didn’t know your parents wanting the best for you and being involved was a problem.”

Fast forward to draft week, and even then, Coach Prime was on FaceTime mid-meetings. Shedeur laughed about it, teasing, “Pops, it’s time to soar on my own now.” And that’s where it all gets pretty interesting. Now that Shedeur is in Cleveland under quarterback guru Kevin Stefanski’s guidance, that father-figure presence needs dialing back—at least that’s what the veteran journalist Andrea Kremer believes.

“Deion will be Deion,” Kremer noted on Good Morning Football… “Obviously, we know he’s the only coach Shedeur has ever had at any level… But right now, if he’s going to rise from the fifth-round pick status in a very crowded quarterback room in Cleveland, he needs to focus on himself.” Whether it was back in high school at Trinity Christian or later at Colorado, Shedeur Sanders has always played quarterback with Coach Prime watching closely, first as his offensive coordinator, and then as his head coach.

.@Andrea_Kremer shares her thoughts on Deion and Shedeur Sanders pic.twitter.com/cMNeG7JuRk

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) June 6, 2025

Kremer explained that Deion’s interaction with his kid replicates what Archie Manning did for his youngest son, Eli Manning. Archie was involved in the drafting process of Eli from the beginning. But there was a catch. Archie wasn’t Eli’s coach, and right after the Giants picked him, Eli was on his own. The result? Eli went on to play 16 seasons in the NFL, and along the way, he won a couple of Super Bowl rings.

And that’s why Kremer believes that Deion needs to let go of his kid, and Shedeur can make the mistakes that he’s going to make and learn from them along the way.

“At some point, you got to let the kid get out on his own, make the mistakes he’s going to make,” she added. And in one way or another, it’s kind of concerning for the Browns‘ organization as well. Why? Well, first of all, Cleveland’s quarterback room is already crowded. Second, Bill Musgrave is the quarterback coach of the Browns, who was actually Deion’s teammate back on the 1994 49ers Super Bowl championship team.

And Kremer believes that at a certain point, Deion might be texting Musgrave about certain things. And it can make things difficult for the Browns, Kevin Stefanski, and the team’s new offensive coordinator, Tommy Rees. “In my opinion, Deion, do what’s best for your kid, prove it on his own. Don’t make things more difficult for him, for Kevin Stefanski, and for the new offensive coordinator, Tommy Reese, in Cleveland,” Kremer concluded.

But amidst this father-son interaction that constantly raising eyebrows, Shedeur Sanders’ role with the Browns is uncertain. Whether he’s going to be a QB1 or he’s going to serve as a backup behind Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett? Or will there be a surprise that could hinder his depth chart?

A trade could affect Shedeur Sanders’ QB depth chart

At this point, the Browns’ quarterback room is absolutely the most talked-about thing, except for a certain player ready to sign a deal with a certain team. Apart from the sidelined Deshaun Watson, Cleveland’s got the veterans Flacco and Pickett with rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders trying to make their way through in this crowded QB room. And then the Browns kicked off their OTAs.

And let’s face it—even though there were certain speculations around Sanders participating just in 7-0n-7 drills, the guy still managed to catch everyone’s attention. Many argued that the former Colorado quarterback might not start in his rookie season, while others believed that Coach Prime’s kid is talented enough to lead the Browns’ offense. But just when his talent and performance were gaining attention, a trade rumor entered the Browns’ building out of nowhere.

Kirk Cousins, a veteran QB with a gigantic contract, is still in Atlanta with no sight of clear future ahead of the 2025 season. To spice things up, if the Falcons manage to find a suitable match for the QB, the team would save $27.5 million. And that’s where ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler comes in. Fowler dropped a bombshell when he predicted that the Browns are the top contender to trade for Cousins. Fowler’s proposal?

The Browns will get Cousins and a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for Kenny Pickett and a 2026 sixth-round pick. Diabolical. The deal would reunite Cousins with his former coach, Kevin Stefanski. But Shedeur? Well, he’s a top-tier quarterback no doubt, but competing against a couple of vets who have been in the NFL when Shedeur wasn’t even in high school is not a walk in the park.

But at the end of the day, the trade is not finalized yet, and with each practice session, Shedeur Sanders is improving his QB depth chart. He’ll likely start at some point in his rookie season. But when? That’s the mystery.

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