Atlanta Falcons Fans Are Reportedly Pissed At Their New Head Coach Because Of What He Did To Shedeur Sanders

Jemele Hill knows how to start an issue. The former ESPN host shared her thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons hiring Kevin Stefanski as head coach, and her comments quickly got across social media.

Hill said some Falcons fans are uncomfortable with the hire because of Stefanski’s past decisions with the Cleveland Browns. She pointed specifically to how he handled rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Stefanski comes to Atlanta with an impressive track record. He led the Browns to the playoffs twice and won NFL Coach of the Year two times. Even so, Hill suggested that his past success may not earn him much patience from Falcons fans.

Hill Points To Shedeur Sanders’ Situation

Hill said Falcons fans she knows did not like how Stefanski handled Sanders during his rookie season in Cleveland. Sanders, the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, began the year as the Browns’ third-string quarterback. Injuries and roster changes later forced him into the starting lineup for the final seven games.

Sanders went 3-4 as a starter. He threw more interceptions than touchdowns, but many fans felt he showed real potential.

Hill shared these thoughts in a post that quickly drew a lot of attention online.

“None of the Falcons fans I know like the Stefanski hire,” Hill wrote***. “They didn’t like how he handled the Shedeur Sanders situation. They LOVE Deion in the ATL. It’s a Black city, with one of the Blackest fan bases in the NFL, and they have a Black QB on their roster. So a lot of ATL fans are side-eyeing this hire. Stefanski isn’t going to get a honeymoon there.”***

Yikes: Jemele Hill says the Falcons should have hired Deion Sanders as their head coach because he is Black and not Kevin Stefanski who is white.

“They LOVE Deion in the ATL. It’s a Black city, with one of the Blackest fan bases in the NFL, and they have a Black QB on their… pic.twitter.com/mbxbnIP55N

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 23, 2026

Deion Sanders has strong ties to Atlanta. He played for both the Falcons and the Braves, and Hill said that connection shapes how some fans see the situation.

After getting hate, Hill explained what she meant. She said she was not pushing Deion Sanders as a coaching option. Instead, she said she was sharing what frustrated fans have told her. According to Hill, those fans believe Stefanski treated Shedeur Sanders unfairly.

Many people online pushed back. Some questioned why Hill brought race into the discussion. Others focused on Sanders’ on-field results and Stefanski’s coaching record.

Hill has continued to speak openly about social and racial topics since leaving ESPN in 2018. She now writes for The Atlantic and hosts the podcast Jemele Hill Is Unbothered.

The Atlanta Falcons have not commented on her remarks. The conversation, however, continues to grow.