After going through last week’s Browns-49ers game, Robert Saleh gave a straightforward, honest breakdown of where Shedeur Sanders stands right now. The 49ers defensive coordinator said Shedeur Sanders “needs reps,” putting his growth in the same category as most young quarterbacks learning the NFL pace.
Saleh wasn’t knocking Shedeur Sanders. Rather, he was grounding the conversation in reality, especially in a league where fans expect every rookie to shine instantly.
By pointing to quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert who developed over time, Saleh made his point clear. He revealed that Shedeur Sanders has talent and confidence, but he’s still early in the process every young quarterback must go through.
Robert Saleh’s Take on Shedeur Sanders
Robert Saleh went straight into what he believes Shedeur Sanders needs right now.
“Like all young kids they’re growing in this thing. He needs reps just like a lot of rookies do,” began Robert Saleh.
That alone set the tone. Saleh was clearly speaking about Shedeur Sanders as a young quarterback still learning how to survive NFL-level speed, pressure, and defensive adjustments.
Saleh then followed up by reminding everyone that the league’s breakout rookies create unrealistic expectations for players like Shedeur. “And most I know we look, especially this time of year or not this time, but this day and age… we look at the exceptions around the league. Jaden Daniels of the World league, the guys who hit right away, they’re not the rule.”
For Saleh, the Cleveland rookie QB shouldn’t be judged against those outliers, because those cases aren’t the standard development path.
He backed that up with examples of how most great quarterbacks actually begin. “The rule is normally a young man like Patrick Mahomes who didn’t play his first year. Herbert who wasn’t starting or during OTA’s and training camp, and really was, uh, came in and was in the first few weeks of the season. Those are the norms. Guys who are easing into the season, easing in their playing careers, and they get lost of reps and get better, and better, and better.”
He even highlighted players like Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, and Daniel Jones, guys who didn’t skip the slow-building stage.
Then Saleh circled back to Shedeur directly. “You look at a guy like Shedeur, and uh, he’s young. He’s got a lot of talent. He’s confident.” But he also urged fans and analysts to let the process play out. “I think people need to just calm down, be patient, see what the ceiling is.”
And when asked what he’d do differently as head coach, he kept it simple. “One of the biggest things I’d do is uh, I’d do a call. I think it brings the emotion. That gets me excited. It keeps me connected with all the players, and keeps me connected to the game.”
Saleh wasn’t tearing Shedeur Sanders down. He was reminding the league that growth takes time, and Shedeur Sanders is still building the foundation that decides how high his ceiling really goes.
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