Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders released an extended highlight video ahead of training camp, offering a glimpse into his offseason preparation and mindset as he prepares for his first NFL season.
The video, posted to social media, features Sanders going through drills on the field and lifting in the weight room, with short voiceovers providing insight into his mental approach.
“You know, no excuses. I’ll put in the work and do what I have to do. Bout to be time to be legendary, whenever that time is,” Sanders said in the video. “You know, mentally, at the very beginning, it’ll be a challenge. But I like the challenge now.”
Sanders, a fifth-round pick out of Colorado, is one of four quarterbacks competing for the Browns’ starting job this summer. He’ll battle veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, along with fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, in one of the league’s most intriguing quarterback competitions.
Shedeur Sanders Faces Uphill Battle With Browns
Despite his prolific college career under his father, Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, the younger Sanders slid to the fifth round. Now, he finds himself in an uphill battle, a reality he seems to embrace. His statement in the video suggests an awareness of his current standing in the pecking order and a determination to move up the depth chart.
So far, Sanders has made the right impression. Browns head coach, Kevin Stefanski, has been impressed with the rookie’s work ethic.
“He’s a very, very hard worker,” Stefanski said on the “Cleveland Browns Daily” podcast in June. “He has fun when he’s in the building. I’m enjoying watching him progress with every single meeting, with every single rep he’s doing a great job.”
While Flacco and Pickett are widely considered the frontrunners for the Week 1 starting job due to their experience, the Browns have emphasized that the competition is open.
“Message is come in and work,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said after drafting Sanders. “Come in and compete. Nothing is being given. We told him it really doesn’t matter where you’re picked. It’s what you do going forward.”
Shedeur Sanders Not Making Excuses With Browns
Sanders received limited reps during minicamp and OTAs. He did not work with the starters, with those reps going mostly to Pickett and Gabriel. But Sanders is not using his lack of reps as an excuse. If his number is called, he’ll be ready.
“Life is just based on how you view different things,” Sanders said during minicamp. “So you can view things as you’re not getting reps in a negative way or you can view it as, OK, when it’s my time to get out there, let’s be proactive and let’s get warm, let’s get going.
“So, there’s no excuses because when you get out there, nobody cares how many reps you got whenever you get in the game. Nobody cares if you took a snap before. Everybody cares about production. So that’s the main thing when you get out there: You got to be able to produce.”
The Browns will rev up their training camp practices next week. The team’s first game is slated for Aug. 8 against the Carolina Panthers.
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