Shedeur Sanders, a rookie quarterback with the Cleveland Browns, recently talked about the most important turning point in his football career: the moment he nearly gave up. In an emotional and open conversation, Sanders disclosed that his college football career was in jeopardy and that his father, Deion Sanders, a college coach and Hall of Fame cornerback, was the one who saved him.
Shedeur started, “It wasn’t always what people think.” “Everyone witnesses the victories, the highlights, and the celebrity. Behind all of that, though, there were moments when I was actually having mental, emotional, and physical difficulties. I was almost finished. Being expected to be flawless in every play and game makes college football particularly cruel.
While playing under the intense scrutiny that comes with being the son of a football hero, Shedeur had to cope with a great deal of pressure, criticism, and high expectations while attending Jackson State and then Colorado. But upholding the Sanders name wasn’t the only goal. Shedeur had to deal with injuries, hectic schedules, media attention, and the isolation that comes with being a leader who is constantly being assessed.
On certain nights, I had trouble falling asleep. I began to wonder if I was just trying to live up to everyone else’s expectations or if I was playing this game for me,” he stated. “I struck that wall at that point. I was worn out. I was exhausted. I was mentally exhausted. Perhaps I’m not suited for this long-term, I recall thinking.
At that point, Deion Sanders—who was more than simply his coach—began acting as a father figure. Instead of sitting me down coach-to-player, he sat me down man-to-man. I was reminded of my identity by him. Shedeur remembered, “Not just as his son, but as someone who has overcome adversity my entire life.” “You’ll never realize how far you could have gone if you allow your circumstances to define you now,” he added.
Shedeur says that was the pivotal moment when he began to trust himself again and quit trying to be flawless. His father allowed him to fall, get back up, and get back up on his own terms rather than merely pushing him forward.
“My dad is the reason I have a career. Not because I became a quarterback because of him. Not because he was my coach. But because he had faith in me when I had none,” Shedeur remarked.
Shedeur is now carrying more than just a football legacy into the NFL as the newest quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. He is carrying the teachings of fortitude, faith, and inner strength that a father who has been down the path before and ensured that his kid doesn’t have to walk it alone taught him.
“Prime Time is visible to the public. Dad is here. And my career was salvaged by Dad,” Shedeur said.