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After a big preseason debut for Browns star Shedeur Sanders, the rookie quarterback has been the talk of the football world with the regular season nearing closer. While the Browns signal-caller expressed being thankful after the game, he would also speak about a narrative going around in his post-game press conference.
Sanders would be asked about the assumption from some that Cleveland has set him up to fail, as he’s been working with the third or fourth unit in practice and was listed fourth on the depth chart, but started on Friday. Subsequently, the 23-year-old would be quick to dispel the notion, saying he is not “making excuses,” according to NBC Sports.
“I think overall in life, I don’t want anybody to make excuses,” Sanders said. “You know, I feel like making excuses for whatever situation is, like you ask God for something and it’s there, then you gonna complain about it? So it’s like it’s two ways you can look at it. You can look at it and be thankful, and take full advantage of the opportunity.”
“Or you can look at it like, ‘Dang, this is what I’m asking for and I’m not prepared.’ . . . I’ll say I’ve been able to sleep good at night, you know, knowing I was playing. . . . I just prepared it as normal,” Sanders continued. “But it was definitely that switch that kicked in. . . . Ball is ball. . . . Ball [has] never been a problem for me. It’s, you know, whatever optics or whatever everybody makes up after outside the game. But in the game, you kind of know who I am.”
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith would make remarks about the Browns’ rookie before the preseason debut on Saturday, saying the narrative of the team setting him up to fail. Speaking about his placement on the depth chart and the unit he would practice with, he found it interesting how he hasn’t had any first-team reps.
“But I’m gonna answer this question by saying Shedeuyr Sanders, and I’m gonna tell you why, I think he’s being set up to fail,” Smith said. “That’s right, I’m gonna say it. Okay. Here we are on national television, right? There’s been 11 practices, if I remember correctly, he’s been starting against the third unit.”
“I think [Shedeur Sanders] is being set up to fail.”
—@stephenasmith pic.twitter.com/gU32q1s2Cw
— First Take (@FirstTake) August 7, 2025
Consequently, Sanders would end up playing well into the third quarter and throw for 138 yards with two touchdown passes as he completed 14 out of 23 attempts. Showing off his accuracy and poise, he looks to continue that impressive play as Cleveland’s next preseason game is on August 16 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
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