In the high-stakes world of professional football, where dreams are forged and shattered with equal intensity, the story of Shedeur Sanders has emerged as a deeply troubling narrative. A collegiate phenom, tipped for early NFL draft glory, found himself inexplicably sliding down draft boards, only to land in a bewildering situation with the Cleveland Browns that many, including outspoken sports analyst Stephen A. Smith, now allege was a deliberate act of sabotage. This isn’t just a story about a talented quarterback; it’s a scathing indictment of systemic issues, perceived collusion, and the opaque power structures within the National Football League.

The Draft Day Disaster: A Fall From Grace

When the 2025 NFL Draft reached its fifth round, a collective gasp swept through the sports world. Shedeur Sanders, the electrifying quarterback from the University of Colorado, was still on the board. This wasn’t just any prospect; this was a player who had put up “video game-like numbers,” throwing for over 4,100 yards and 37 touchdowns in his final college season. He had almost single-handedly transformed a one-win Colorado program into a legitimate bowl contender, showcasing a 70.1% completion percentage, 14,327 passing yards, and 134 touchdowns against just 27 interceptions across his college career. These were statistics that screamed first-round talent, numbers that should have had general managers scrambling.

Yet, Sanders plummeted to the 144th overall pick, snagged by the Cleveland Browns. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. had ranked him as the QB2, projecting him as a potential top-15 selection. Other mock drafts consistently placed him in the first or second round. The question echoed across sports channels and social media: How could a talent of this magnitude fall so far?

Stephen A. Smith’s Explosive Accusations: Collusion and Character Assassination

The answer, according to Stephen A. Smith, was rooted in something far more insidious than football metrics. Immediately after the draft, on April 26, 2025, Smith launched into a passionate tirade on his show, accusing NFL ownership of “coordinated collusion” to punish Shedeur Sanders. “Shame on you, this is a damn shame, I’m sick to my stomach!” he thundered, claiming all 32 teams tried to “teach him a lesson.”

The perceived reason for this punitive action, Smith and others argued, had nothing to do with Sanders’ on-field ability but everything to do with his famous last name. Shedeur is the son of Deion “Prime Time” Sanders, one of the most charismatic, outspoken, and, at times, controversial athletes in American history. Deion’s larger-than-life personality and unapologetic swagger, while celebrated by fans, reportedly spooked NFL owners and general managers.

Reports began to surface from radio host Boomer Esiason and others, indicating that ownership had explicitly instructed their GMs to remove Sanders from their draft boards. The concerns were numerous and deeply troubling: fears that Deion would be a constant, disruptive presence in the building; worries that the Sanders family would attempt to dictate Shedeur’s destination; and whispers of disastrous interviews where Shedeur allegedly took FaceTime calls mid-meeting and demanded to start immediately. One anonymous GM reportedly called Sanders “entitled.”

However, Smith’s counter-argument was powerful: If these red flags were so glaring, why did Sanders maintain a first-round grade from major scouting services? Why were these supposed issues not leaked until after the draft, creating the perception of a coordinated effort to make an example of him? Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson even suggested that Commissioner Roger Goodell himself might have been involved in sending a message to high-profile prospects. Antonio Brown went further, alleging owners conspired due to resentment over Deion’s past criticisms of the league.

The Cleveland Conspiracy: Burying a Star Quarterback

The saga only intensified when Sanders landed with the Cleveland Browns. Owner Jimmy Haslam, known for his hands-on approach, made a particularly eyebrow-raising comment on July 29, 2025, months after the draft: “I didn’t think Barry would draft Shedeur. That’s Andrew’s call, he made the call to pick Shedeur.” This public distancing from the decision immediately fueled Smith’s collusion theories. It appeared Haslam was setting up General Manager Andrew Berry to take the fall if Sanders didn’t pan out, or, more cynically, had drafted Sanders for marketing appeal but wanted plausible deniability.

Training camp brought further frustration. Despite the Browns’ offense being historically anemic and their defense dominant, Sanders, a quarterback drafted to address a desperate need, was relegated to minimal practice repetitions with the first-team offense. He was consistently working with backups, while aging veteran Joe Flacco and third-round rookie Dylan Gabriel received prime opportunities.

Smith vehemently condemned this as “gross incompetence or deliberate sabotage.” When Sanders was thrown into preseason games with insufficient preparation, particularly a brutal finale against the Los Angeles Rams where he was sacked five times, Smith accused the Browns of “setting him up to fail.” By the regular season, Sanders was officially the QB3, a deeply embarrassing position for a projected franchise quarterback, leading him to admit to reporters, “I feel disrespected.”

The Mime Interview and Racism Allegations

The frustration culminated in an unprecedented and viral incident on October 1, 2025. During a mandatory post-practice media availability, Sanders stood before reporters and mimed his responses, moving his mouth and gesturing without uttering a single sound. The video exploded online, dividing opinion. Critics decried it as immature and unprofessional, a “maturity red flag” according to ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky.

But Stephen A. Smith saw genius in the silence. He argued that Sanders was making a sophisticated point: anything he said would be “taken out of context or it’s going to be blown up and exploited.” By saying nothing, Sanders highlighted the absurdity of a media circus that surrounded him solely due to his father’s fame, a circus that was pre-judging him. Smith further criticized the Browns for keeping Flacco as QB2, calling it “politics” and “evidence of ongoing sabotage.”

As the Browns’ season spiraled into a disastrous 1-4 start, the conversation around Sanders took an even darker turn: explicit allegations of racism. Several prominent figures, including former NFL superstar Cam Newton and podcasters, bluntly accused “racist ownership” of deliberately suppressing Sanders’ marketing potential and refusing to let him play. Jason Kelce, the recently retired Eagles center, warned Haslam about the growing PR nightmare. Many saw echoes of historical discrimination in how Black quarterbacks, particularly those with outspoken families, have been evaluated and marginalized. The double standard was glaring: why was Sanders labeled arrogant for confidence, while white quarterbacks were celebrated for similar swagger?

The collusion theories also gained traction, suggesting owners were sending a message to all high-profile prospects: “You don’t get to dictate terms… you certainly don’t get to challenge ownership’s authority without facing serious consequences.” Sanders’ draft day fall was, in this view, a very public punishment.

An Uncertain Future: A Referendum on the NFL

As of October 3, 2025, Shedeur Sanders remains the Browns’ third-string quarterback, having not taken a single regular season snap despite his collegiate achievements. The Browns’ offense remains abysmal, and their season is teetering on the brink. Stephen A. Smith believes Sanders will get his opportunity, predicting that fan demand will force the Browns to play him if Gabriel doesn’t improve. Sanders’ popularity is undeniable, with his jersey sales skyrocketing despite his lack of playing time.

The stakes are enormous. If Sanders struggles, critics will undoubtedly pounce, validating their claims of him being overrated and unready. But if he succeeds, if he lights up opposing defenses and showcases his elite talent, then the Cleveland Browns, Jimmy Haslam, and every general manager who passed on him will face “extremely uncomfortable questions” about whether their evaluations were truly about football, or “about something else entirely.”

This saga transcends one player’s career; it has become a referendum on how the NFL evaluates and treats young Black quarterbacks, particularly those with strong personalities and confident beliefs in their abilities. It exposes serious questions about the power dynamics within the league and whether it has truly learned from past controversies involving player empowerment and social justice. For Stephen A. Smith, who has staked his professional credibility on defending Sanders, the resolution of this story will be particularly significant. If Sanders fails, Smith’s critics will claim bias. But if he succeeds, Smith will be vindicated in his belief that this was never about football ability, but about an establishment resisting those who dare to challenge traditional power structures. The Cleveland Browns remain in a state of organizational chaos, with questions about their leadership and decision-making dominating headlines. The “sell the team” chants at home games are a testament to the palpable frustration of fans yearning for competent leadership and tired of a franchise seemingly stuck in a loop of mistakes.