The Side Of Shedeur Sanders Mainstream Media Will Never Amplify

If you're only paying attention to the mainstream media, the messages you're getting about Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders are about his spot on the depth chart or his dramatic fall in the NFL draft or his personality that is portrayed as entitled and over-confident. You're even going to get a lot of content about his watches.

Yes, seriously.

What side of the rookie aren't you getting?

Sanders A Man Of Prayer And Praise

The side about him being a man of faith.

The side about him praying.

And praising.

So let's add those brush strokes to present a more complete portrait of Sanders, because it matters if one is interested in whom this kid is and what he represents.

Let's start here: After Sanders completed his NFL preseason debut, the media chatter was about grading Sanders. And whether he earned more practice snaps this week in joint practices against the Philadelphia Eagles.

You got a breakdown of his outing against the Carolina Panthers and whether it hit the target or missed the mark. And, yes, you got predictions about what it all means and what comes next with this fifth-round pick.

Oct 12, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) prays in the end zone before the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Secular Media Ignores God

But before he did his postgame interviews, he joined several teammates and Panthers players in the middle of the field to pray.

This is new for Sanders in the NFL. But it's not new for Sanders, who often did it both before and after games at Colorado.

That didn't make much (any?) of the wall-to-wall coverage that began with him walking in the stadium in Charlotte to exiting later that evening. Weird.

But brand.

Look, the media is secular. It is generally uncomfortable with prayers and references to God and people who believe in God. 

Jan 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; CBS Sports reporter Tracy Wolfson interviews Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) following the win against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Stephen A. Creates A Controversy

We're not at the place where the media mocks God and believers, but there definitely is no embrace of it. No understanding of it. And little coverage of it.

But, well, here you go:

The big controversy, as personified by Stephen A. Smith on ESPN last week, was that the Browns put Sanders in a position to fail. They gave him the starting nod in this preseason opener despite limiting his repetitions in practice for weeks and weeks. 

It could have been on purpose, the pundit suggested.

It was a conspiracy, Smith suggested, when it was actually just Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel tweaking their hamstrings and not being able to play. 

Stephen A. Smith suggesting a probe into the WNBA's treatment of Clark is ridiculous. (GETTY IMAGES)

Sanders Answers With God

Sanders was asked about the Smith take, and his response came in the context of, you guessed it, God.

"I think overall in life I don't want anybody to make excuses," he said. "I feel like making excuses for whatever situation – you ask God for something, and it's there, then you're going to complain about it?"

Starting that preseason game, modest as the beginnings to an NFL career as it was, was a reward for Sanders. While he was toiling on fourth team he didn't complain.

He remained patient.

And how'd he manage that?

"God's patient with us as humans," he said. "We mess up at times, but I don't feel like he throws us away as individuals. [There are] different things and different life lessons you got to go through, and I haven't went through this situation that I'm in ever. 

"So, it's really just a test I feel like, from God or whoever it's from. It's just a test. I'm just thankful that I was able to see the day of light and get out there and be able to play."

‘Thank You GOD’

After the game, by the way, Sanders got on his X account and posted his thoughts.

"Thank you GOD," he wrote.

  It's definitely part of who this guy is. Because he thanked God on July 27,  on July 17, on July 8, on June 23 and so on.

"There's a spiritual war going on," Sanders posted on June 10. "Trust in GOD."