The Cleveland Browns' quarterback room has become a flashpoint this week, with former NFL coach Rex Ryan unleashing a scathing attack on rookie Shedeur Sanders. On ESPN's Get Up Monday morning, Ryan didn't mince words, telling Sanders to "quit being an embarrassment" after the young quarterback boasted he could outperform many NFL starters. Sanders, drafted in the 2025 class and currently third on the depth chart behind Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel, had sparked the feud with comments last Thursday. He suggested, based on league play so far, that he was "capable of doing better" than the current crop of signal-callers.
Ryan's rant went further, implying Sanders wasn't putting in the work. "Are you sitting in the back of the meeting rooms with scout-team receivers?" the ex-Jets and Bills head man questioned, hinting at a lack of preparation that's keeping the Colorado product sidelined. Indeed, the Browns sit at 1-3 after a 34-10 drubbing by the Detroit Lions on Sunday, where Flacco struggled mightily before getting pulled. Yet Sanders saw zero snaps, fueling speculation about his readiness and attitude.
The backlash escalated quickly. By Wednesday, Sanders responded to questions about his depth chart status with a bizarre silent press conference—miming answers and refusing to speak, which one reporter called "unprecedented." However, insiders suggest this mime act was a direct jab at Ryan's barbs. Moreover, Sanders' mother, Pilar, jumped into the fray on Instagram, labeling Ryan's energy "cancerous" and "impotent," while questioning his place in sports commentary. She deleted the post soon after, but the damage was done, turning a team issue into a family feud splashed across social media.
Cleveland analysts aren't thrilled either; one local voice urged Ryan to "shut the hell up" and stop meddling in Browns affairs. Still, with Flacco's benching and Gabriel stepping in late against Detroit, pressure mounts on coach Kevin Stefanski to shake up the QB hierarchy. Ryan's blunt assessment, while harsh, underscores the steep learning curve for rookies like Sanders in a league that demands immediate impact.
As the Browns limp into their next game, one wonders if this public spat will motivate Sanders or deepen the divide in Cleveland's huddle.