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Rookie QB Draws White House Spotlight After First Career Win

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Shedeur Sanders
Photo Credit: Erik Drost, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

NFL rookie Shedeur Sanders found himself on the receiving end of unexpected support from President Donald Trump.

The rookie quarterback, who arrived in the league after a dramatic fall from early first round projections, spoke with reporters in Berea and acknowledged that Trump’s vocal backing had not gone unnoticed.

Sanders said he appreciated that the president took the time to publicly support him, saying he was grateful for the attention and the encouragement.

Sanders, son of University of Colorado coach and former professional football great Deion Sanders, entered the draft cycle surrounded by scrutiny.

Once anticipated to be selected early in April’s draft, his stock plummeted after questions surfaced about how he handled pressure, interacted with staff, and approached team dynamics.

The Browns eventually selected him in the fifth round, ending his slide on Day 3.

Trump had already been weighing in on Sanders long before Cleveland drafted him.

On social media, Trump questioned why teams were passing on the quarterback, posting his incredulity with comments like, “What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID?”

He pointed to Deion Sanders’ decorated football career and added that the coach’s son possessed what he described as “PHENOMENAL GENES.”

Trump argued that Shedeur should be “picked IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN” and wished him luck while asking him to extend greetings to his father.

The support resurfaced when Sanders earned his first career win. After completing 11 of 20 attempts for 209 yards, with one touchdown and one interception in a victory over the struggling Las Vegas Raiders, Trump followed up with praise.

He posted, “I TOLD YOU SO!” and added that “Shedeur Sanders was GREAT” while praising what he called the quarterback’s “Great Genes.”

Sanders’ debut outing, however, had been significantly more turbulent. He entered a game in relief after fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel suffered an injury during a matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.

Sanders completed only four of sixteen attempts in that game and threw an interception, while being sacked twice.

His completion percentage across both appearances sits at 41.7 percent, and 5.6 percent of his throws have been intercepted.

Reflecting on the uneven start, Sanders said that circumstances in training camp and preseason limited his preparation, explaining that he did not receive full summer reps and was not in the ideal position to step into a live NFL scenario.

Still, he insisted that it was not an excuse and that his responsibility was to perform regardless of the situation.

“Everybody starts different places,” he commented and highlighted the need to produce results even when the buildup is imperfect.

“Nobody cares if this was one week of prep. Who cares? So, a lot of people want to see me fail – it ain’t gonna happen. It ain’t gonna happen,” Sanders noted.

As attention around him grew, Sanders became aware of a circulating claim that head coach Kevin Stefanski was somehow working against him.

During a press availability, one reporter raised the topic by saying, “All your supporters out there say that Kevin Stefanski was sabotaging you.”

Sanders responded by jokingly asking whether the reporter was trying to start trouble. He then dismissed the idea that any interference from the head coach was taking place.

When asked more generally about his relationship with Stefanski, Sanders said outside speculation held no weight.

He explained that what happens beyond the team facility has nothing to do with his control, saying that he does not have the ability to influence the decisions outsiders are discussing.

“You act like I go out there and tell them to do whatever. You know, that’s not nothing I control or nothing I can do,” Sanders stated.

He added that he was grateful for the opportunity in Cleveland and that Stefanski had been fully engaged in coaching him since his arrival.

Sanders said the relationship between him and Stefanski has developed in a way consistent with a standard coach-player dynamic.

The coach, he said, tells him what he needs to do in all areas of preparation.

Sanders explained that their connection has “definitely” grown and that he appreciates the guidance he receives.

As media reaction intensified, NBA champion and ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins added his own controversial opinion regarding Sanders’ emerging influence.

Perkins compared Sanders to former President Barack Obama during an appearance on the “LGND TLK” podcast.

“You ready for this take? Shedeur Sanders is the most powerful Black man since 2009. You know what happened in 2009? That’s when President Obama got elected into office,” he insisted.

Perkins said this was due to the way Sanders seemed to unify audiences, claiming that Black viewers come together in rare fashion whenever Sanders is on the field.

Perkins argued that Sanders holds a unique place in sports, noting that he projects a blend of confidence and humility that resonates widely.

He said Sanders was the “most powerful player in sports” because conversations about him persist even during weeks when he is not featured prominently.

Perkins remarked that he had not heard “one Black person” speak negatively about the Browns rookie and credited Sanders for striking what he described as a balance that makes him widely appealing.

Sanders will take the field again Sunday as Cleveland, currently holding a 3-8 record, prepares to host the San Francisco 49ers, who enter the matchup at 8-4.

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