Shedeur Sanders’ last preseason outing couldn’t have gone much worse, and many believe the blame falls on Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. Instead of getting a fair shot, Shedeur was stuck behind a patchwork offensive line made up of third- and fourth-stringers.
The protection was so weak that he rarely had time to set his feet in the pocket, so most snaps turned into a scramble for survival. Fans watching saw a quarterback with talent, but no real chance to showcase it.
Still, that didn’t stop Jason Whitlock from weighing in. His blunt comments about Shedeur’s performance set off a wave of furious reactions across the NFL fanbase.
Jason Whitlock Calls Out Shedeur Sanders
Jason Whitlock pointed the finger at both Shedeur’s play and the situation around him. Here’s exactly what he said:
“Kevin Stefanski, the head coach of the Browns, had no choice but to bench Shedeur Sanders. I know all the media thinks that the Browns’ entire preseason is about one individual, Shedeur Sanders. It’s not. It’s about the entire team. And so, those third and fourth stringers that Shedeur was out on the field with in the second half. Those guys are trying to get evaluated as well. Those guys are trying to make the team as well. Those guys have wives, kids, mommas, daddies, people counting on them. Their lives matter, too. Their careers matter, too. And you can’t evaluate them.”
He added: “The other wide receivers, the offensive line, the tight ends, the running backs. If your quarterback is laying down and playing an unenthusiastic style of ball and can’t read a defense, can’t get the ball out on time. So they put Tyler Huntley in the game so they could evaluate everybody else, because the entire second half was a waste of time because Shedeur Sanders can’t read a defense, won’t throw the football. Got sacked five times for no reason. The same thing that was happening in Colorado. All the people making excuses for Shedeur. It’s because there’s clicks in Shedeur, and they don’t care about any of the other Cleveland Browns’ football players. Stefanski had no choice.”
NFL Fans Blast Jason Whitlock’s Take
Whitlock’s harsh breakdown of Shedeur Sanders didn’t sit well with many NFL fans, and the backlash came quickly. Some felt his remarks went too far, while others called out what they saw as bias or flat-out misinformation.
One fan fired back, “You don’t talk about the other guys.” Another simply told him, “Shut up.” Others were more detailed, like one who wrote, “@WhitlockJason you got to stop with the uneducated click bait!”
Another added, “I was with you until you said. They put Huntley in so they could evaluate the other guys. That is completely BULLSH*T‼️” Comments like “Bro, stop this foolishness” and “High A1c Whitlock luv hating on The SANDERS 🤡” showed just how heated fans got.
Browns Cut Most of Shedeur’s Linemen
Adding more context to Shedeur Sanders’ rough preseason showing, the Browns have officially released most of the offensive linemen who were protecting him. According to reports, four of the five linemen who blocked for Shedeur in his last game have already been cut as the team trimmed the roster from 90 to 53 players.
That list includes tackle Sebastian Gutierrez, center Bucky Williams, and guards Javion Cohen and Dartanyan Tinsley. It’s not hard to see why Shedeur struggled to stay upright. His protection was made up of players who didn’t survive final cuts. On top of that, the Browns also decided to move on from quarterback Tyler Huntley, who replaced Shedeur late in the game.
Furthermore, the Browns have also moved on from Kenny Pickett, trading him to the Raiders, who are desperately looking for a backup QB, for a 2026 fifth-round pick. For now, Shedeur still holds a spot as the team’s third-string quarterback, which means Shedeur will see more reps with a better team around him and more opportunities to prove why he is QB1 caliber.