Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders made an impressive preseason debut with the Cleveland Browns on Friday night, throwing two touchdown passes while completing 14-of-23 passes (61%) for 138 yards in a 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers.
For one week, at least, Sanders answered questions and critics, appearing to be capable of winning a spot on the Browns’ QB depth chart — and perhaps more.
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With a strong performance now on the record, Sanders took an opportunity to confront one of his loudest local detractors, ESPN Cleveland radio host Tony Grossi. And Well Off Media, the Sanders family social media channel, had cameras ready to record the conversation.
“Tony, I hope you have something positive to say about me,” Sanders said to Grossi following his postgame media availability. ““You always say negative stuff about me. And I’m like, I didn’t do nothing to you. I’ve never seen you say anything positive about me.”
Grossi’s response wasn’t audible on the Well Off Media clip, but it was apparently enough to draw a good-natured laugh from Sanders. Maybe Grossi admitted he was unfair. Perhaps he briefly explained that being an outspoken critic is part of the sports radio job description.
“What’d I do? What’d I do to you, Tony?” Sanders asked with a laugh as he walked away.
Sanders has been a target since his career at Colorado with garish statistics, boastful actions and significant NIL earnings. Some critics felt that he was the beneficiary of his father, Deion Sanders, being the head coach of the Buffaloes. Falling to the fifth round of this year’s NFL Draft (selected No. 144 overall) was viewed by many as comeuppance and a serving of humility after he believed he would be a first-round pick, maybe the first quarterback selected.
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So Grossi picking on Sanders after being drafted and throughout his development in OTAs, minicamps, training camp and the preseason shouldn’t be a surprise. He derided Sanders as a “developmental quarterback.” Among his dubious criticisms of Sanders, via Awful Announcing, was developing a sore arm during training camp and missing a practice.
Yet Grossi acknowledged after Friday’s performance that Sanders was “outstanding.” Whether those remarks were made after Sanders asked for some positivity isn’t clear. But it would have been difficult for the sports talk personality to maintain credibility if he hadn’t confirmed what was apparent on the field, even if it was a preseason contest.
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Grossi has made a career — in print, radio and digital media — of scrutinizing the Browns, so he’ll surely return with more criticism. The question now is whether or not Sanders will give him any ammunition from here on out.