Ex-NFL star suggests Browns are ruining Shedeur Sanders

NFL quarterback-turned outspoken media personality Cam Newton’s latest headline-grabbing take centered around Shedeur Sanders.

The rookie quarterback is listed third on the Cleveland Browns depth chart, despite the recent benching of veteran signal caller Joe Flacco. Dillon Gabriel was named the starter for Cleveland’s Week 5 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings and Flacco will serve as the backup. 

On Wednesday, Sanders was asked about the quarterback shuffle. The former Colorado standout responded by miming his answers to reporters in the locker room. The move came on the heels of NFL analyst Rex Ryan’s previous criticisms of Sanders’ outspoken nature.

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) and quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) throw passes during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.  (Ken Blaze/Imagn Images)

Sanders’ action sparked varied reactions. Newton’s takeaway revolved around his premise that the Browns are not putting the young quarterback in a position to be successful.

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“I don’t think they want Shedeur Sanders to be successful in Cleveland,” Newton said during a recent edition of his “4th&1” podcast. “Because if you were to say, ‘I want Cleveland to have a person or a figure to have every chance to be successful,’ Shedeur has been the opposite of that.”

Cam Newton attends the BET Awards Media House on June 29, 2024, in Los Angeles, California.  (Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for BET)

Newton then cited Sanders preseason. The 23-year-old threw two touchdowns in an exhibition win over the Carolina Panthers. He sat out of the Browns second preseason game with an injury and largely struggled in the exhibition finale against the Los Angeles Rams.

“When you give Shedeur an opportunity to play with viable options around him, what does he do? He performs. The next opportunity for him to perform the following week, he didn’t help his case because he had [an injury]. The following week from there, if you want to see a real clear-cut identifier if he’s capable or not, you put him with the 1s. Or you put him with the valuable 2s. Don’t put him with the trash.”

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders warms up during a practice at the team’s NFL football training camp Friday, July 25, 2025, in Berea, Ohio.  (David Richard/AP Phoeo)

Newton then floated a theory about the Browns’ motives, claiming the franchise wants to keep him on the roster for business purposes.

“This is my conspiracy theory about the Cleveland Browns. Shedeur Sanders is extremely talented and well and capable of being a player in the NFL. But I do not think a lot of teams are willing to risk what’s mounting in circus-like attention that he brings naturally,” Newton said. “So therefore the Browns are stuck with this idea, if we cut Shedeur that would be bad for business. Business being, he’s good for business on our roster. If we cut him, he’s going to be picked up by somebody. When have we ever had a person on our roster to move the needle?… The Cleveland Browns have never had a player in modern day that pushes the needle like Shedeur Sanders.”

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Flacco threw two interceptions in last week’s 34-10 loss to the Detroit Lions. The Browns entered Week 5 with a 1-3 record.

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