Former NFLer Ryan Clark ripped the coverage and social media discourse around Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders, prompting a response from Deion Sanders.
Clark has been a vocal supporter of Shedeur and the Sanders family as a whole. But he recently received some backlash for his take on Shedeur’s situation with the Browns as the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart.
“What it is that they’re doing is they’re treating Shedeur Sanders like a fifth-round pick,” Clark said recently on “Get Up.” “We’re not covering every fifth round pick in the NFL, hoping that he gets the opportunity to be the starter on Day 1. We felt like, oh my goodness, they got a diamond in the rough. Shedeur Sanders fell to the fifth round. They felt like they evaluated him there, and that’s where they picked him. They’re playing the guy that they picked in the third round over him because they evaluate him at a higher level than what they do Shedeur Sanders.”
Ryan Clark Unloads on Critics of Shedeur Sanders Analysis
Clark didn’t hold back with his response to the criticism he’s faced for not fully backing Sanders.
“For all the people that called me a sellout throughout the week for my analysis on Shedeuer Sanders… I do wanna say something to you sincerely from the bottom of my heart: and that’s kiss my (expletive),” Clark said.
Clark did express that he felt Sanders should have been taken earlier in the draft. However, he fell to the Browns in the fifth round at pick No. 144, and that is now his path.
“Fifth-round draft picks get fifth-round treatment, even if we don’t feel like they deserve to be drafted in the fifth round. So you’re gonna play with some guys who don’t make the team,” Clark said. “You know who else you’re going to play against? Some guys that don’t make the team. As an undrafted guy, I understand that I wasn’t going to get the reps as the fifth-rounders or the sixth-rounders. Just as I understand, Shedeur Sanders will not get the same reps as a Dillon Gabriel,” Clark said.
Clark’s video drew a friendly response from Deion Sanders.
“We love you my brother and I’m speaking for the Sanders family. Keep on being u. I respect u admire u and can count on u to keep it (100)!” Deion Sanders wrote.
Browns Deny ‘Sabotaging’ Shedeur Sanders
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski addressed the allegations that the team is “sabotaging” Sanders directly once the preseason wrapped up.
“Obviously I don’t concern myself with outside type of things, but I’m committed to his development, just like all of our rookies,” Stefanski said. “So, we’ll continue to focus on getting our guys better, and that’s what we’ll stay committed to, and that’s what’s important to me.”
All is not lost for Sanders in Cleveland. The Browns are leaning on 40-year-old Joe Flacco to start the season, but it’s unlikely he’ll hold on to the job all year. Pressure is on Cleveland to evaluate both Gabriel and Sanders before the next draft. With two first-round picks in hand, the Browns have the flexibility to chase a true franchise quarterback if neither rookie proves to be the answer.
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