They really thought we wouldn’t notice, huh? It’s been almost a month since Shedeur Sanders got drafted—yeah, slid all the way to the fifth round like he stole somebody’s scholarship—and just when you thought the Cleveland Browns couldn’t play it any grimier, they did Shedeur dirty all over again. His draft drop was already a slap. But the Browns? Oh, they loaded that hand up, pulled it back, and disrespected this man’s brand right to his face. And now, we got video proof of Deion Sanders Jr trying not to break down at the Rookie Premiere reveal. No lie—man looked like he was seconds from tearing up, and it wasn’t just pride.
Earlier this month, the Browns, in true Browns fashion, gave the No. 2 jersey to checks notes DeAndre Carter. A journeyman wideout who’s been on 6 teams and never once rocked the No. 2. Not in high school. Not in Pop Warner. Not even in Madden. But now suddenly he’s Mr. 2? Meanwhile, Shedeur—who literally built his whole identity around it—gets handed No. 12 like it’s some random practice squad drip. Boog, Shedeur’s unofficial mouthpiece, wasn’t having it. Called it “disrespectful.” And honestly? He wasn’t wrong.
Fast forward to May 20th. The Rookie Premiere event in L.A. goes down, and Fanatics plus NFLPA unveil the official rookie jerseys. Deion Sanders Jr pulls up with the cam, recording for Well Off Media. He’s all smiles seeing Travis Hunter’s Jaguars jersey and even checks out Dillon Gabriel’s Browns kit… but when he gets to Shedeur’s?
Boom—there it is. That #12 hits like a punch in the gut. Deion Jr. stops, stares, voice cracking: “There it is. That’s a beautiful thing, man. This made me wanna cry, bro, I ain’t gon’ lie to you, man. Beautiful thing, man.” Man was caught in that weird space between heartbreak and proud big bro energy. ‘Cause yeah, Shedeur made the league. But they did his image dirty.
Let’s talk facts before feelings. Shedeur Sanders is the brand. He’s “2Legendary.” That number isn’t random—he made #2 iconic during his Colorado run. And while folks doubted him on the field, off the field, man was clocking major NIL dollars, pushing merch like Supreme in its prime. Nike, Google, Mercedes-Benz, KFC—yup, that KFC—lined up to do business with a 23-year-old college QB who knew how to market himself. Shedeur Sanders ran a podcast, dropped exclusive gear, and had $5.1 million in endorsement deals before ever taking an NFL snap.
Still, Shedeur isn’t folding.
He’s already flipping this #12 thing into motivation. On a school visit recently, he told some kids: “My goal is to bring a Super Bowl to Cleveland.” That’s a heavy statement. Especially for a team that’s been allergic to confetti since the Eisenhower era. But Shedeur got that dog in him. The jersey might’ve changed, but the mission remains the same. Superbowl.
Shedeur Sanders keeps it real about Dillon Gabriel—Jealousy in the locker room?
Now, just when you thought the jersey saga was the only drama in Cleveland, cue the QB room tension. The Browns went and drafted two rookie quarterbacks—Dillon Gabriel in the third round and Shedeur Sanders in the fifth. That’s not a depth move. That’s a full-on battle royale with clipboards. The Browns already had Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and a mystery man named Deshaun Watson on the books. So drafting two more gunslingers? Somebody’s getting cut. And while the media’s trying to stir up some “locker room beef” headlines, Shedeur isn’t playing into it.
“Everything’s been cool,” Shedeur told SportsCasting.com. “He’s a cool person. I like how he handles situations, especially just the negative media that’s coming his way.” Respectfully, that’s a diplomatic answer from a man who knows the game. But you can’t ignore what happened at rookie minicamp. Browns beat guy Zac Jackson said it loud on the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show: “It’s just throwing the ball, and it’s not close: it’s Shedeur Sanders.” He repeated it just to make sure we heard it. “It’s not close.” Yeah, we heard it loud and clear.
Still, some insiders weren’t ready to crown Shedeur just yet. Tony Grossi, another Browns insider, said he liked what he saw from Gabriel: “I thought both days Dillon Gabriel looked a little bit better. He throws a tight spiral. He throws a beautiful ball…He’s very assertive…knows the pocket.” Translation? It’s a real duel going down behind the scenes.
But here’s where it gets even more spicy—Shedeur’s already inked a 4-year, $4.6 million deal. Gabriel? Still unsigned. So while Dillon’s ball might be prettier, Shedeur’s already got the bag secured. That’s leverage. That’s favor.
Yet despite the heat, Shedeur’s keeping it chill. “We’re truly cool,” he said about Gabriel. And honestly, maybe that’s the most dangerous version of Shedeur—calm, focused, and feeling like he’s got something to prove. ‘Cause if we’re being real? The man shouldn’t have slipped to the fifth. He shouldn’t have lost No. 2. And he shouldn’t be battling for a depth spot like he’s some random MAC school backup.
So while the media tries to stir up jealousy angles, don’t get it twisted. Shedeur isn’t in his feelings—he’s in his bag. But somebody gotta go from that QB room by August.
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