What this former Browns coach thinks of Shedeur Sanders’ early red flags
The Browns’ rookie QB came onto the team with something to prove, but his recent transgressions have done the opposite. Here’s what a former coach thinks.


Shedeur Sanders was once considered a top NFL prospect, but fell dramatically in the draft due in part to reportedly poor interviews and concerns about his mental preparedness. The Cleveland Browns ended up picking him in the fifth round, 144th overall.
After several off-field concerns, the young rookie should be working on proving he is mature enough to play at the professional level, but he’s already gotten into trouble before the season’s even started.
Former Browns coach speaks out on Sanders’ “growing pains”
After receiving a pair of speeding citations and being wanted by the police in Ohio, Sanders is under even more scrutiny than he was before. Now more than ever, he needs to prove he can handle the pressures that come with playing in the NFL - both on and off the field.
However, former Browns head coach Eric Mangini addressed the situation, urging people not to overreact. He believes Sanders is simply adjusting to life without his father, Deion Sanders, constantly guiding him.
“This is, in fairness to Shedeur, the first time he’s been outside his dad’s overview, his dad’s house,” Mangini said. “I think he was his high school, then his college coach … This is like any kid who’s away from home for the first time. There’s gonna be a couple hiccups here and there...there’s going to be some growing pains.“
"This is like any kid who's away from home for the first time. There's gonna be a couple hiccups here and there."
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) June 20, 2025
Eric Mangini and @colincowherd disagree on how big of a deal to make of Shedeur Sanders' speeding ticket. pic.twitter.com/9tt0x9WayG
While Mangini acknowledged the concerns, he also compared them to past legal troubles in Cleveland’s QB room and concluded that Sanders’ issues are minor by comparison.
“Would I sell my stock on it like you are? No, because of a couple speeding tickets, especially in the light of the problems the Browns quarterback room had had to deal with legally in the last few years. This is nothing," he said.
Still, the rookie’s margin for error is thin. And this offseason could determine his NFL future.
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