Just as it felt like Shedeur Sanders was beginning to fly under the radar, he reportedly experienced a run-in with the law. The Cleveland Browns' rookie quarterback reportedly got pulled over on Tuesday morning for going well above the local speed limit. Sigh.
Sanders was stopped by police past midnight on June 17 for driving 101 miles per hour (MPH), according to Fox 8 News. He did so in a 60-MPH zone in Strongsville, Ohio, nearly doubling the legal speed. Where could the 23-year-old have been in such a rush to be at such a late hour on a weeknight?
We knew there'd be no shortage of headlines surrounding Sanders upon entering the NFL. That's been the case since he began his collegiate career at Jackson State, which followed him to Colorado and now Cleveland. However, instances like this are completely avoidable, making this a disappointing development for the Browns.
Speeding violation reminds the Browns that Shedeur Sanders' drama is inescapable
The media doesn't need any more non-football reasons to talk about him. They already have plenty of ammo in the chamber between his well-chronicled character concerns and outspoken father/coach/football icon Deion "Prime" Sanders. Zooming down the I-71 and being issued a citation for it validates some of the damaging preconceived notions critics and talent evaluators had.
Rather than garnering attention for how admirably Sanders handled serving as Cleveland's fourth-team quarterback to begin their mandatory minicamp, this is the topic of discussion. We're talking about whether he wants to fight a traffic violation in court or pay a fine instead; how silly? Nonetheless, the 2025 fifth-round pick has put us and himself in this position with his irresponsible, reckless behavior.
What does Shedeur Sanders' speeding infraction mean for the Browns QB competition?
Considering Sanders was already operating as the last signal-caller on the depth chart, it's not like they can relegate him. He's at ground zero, though his inability to follow rules could make it even harder to dig out of this hole. Nonetheless, this certainly doesn't help his chances of winning Cleveland's starting QB job.
Competing against a proven veteran in Joe Flacco, former first-round pick Kenny Pickett and fellow incoming fifth-rounder Dillon Gabriel, Sanders must earn his spot. But doing so goes beyond arm talent. Leadership, responsibility and decision-making are key elements of being a franchise passer, areas he ostensibly needs to improve on.