Browns Digest

Former NFL Star Compares Browns' Shedeur Sanders to All-Time Great

A former NFL star has just compared Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders to one of the greatest players ever.
May 10, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) talks to the media during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
May 10, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) talks to the media during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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There is a whole lot of pressure on Shedeur Sanders heading into his rookie campaign with the Cleveland Browns, which certainly seems strange for a fifth-round pick.

That being said, there has never been a Day 3 pick coming into the NFL with as much surrounding hoopla as Sanders, who was viewed by most as a first-round talent going into the draft.

Sanders stands a great chance of playing for the Browns during his first season, as Cleveland does not exactly have a definitive answer at quarterback.

Of course, there have been plenty of concerns about Sanders as he prepares for the professional level, but former NFL star LeSean McCoy does not seem concerned.

During a recent episode of The Facility on Fox Sports 1, McCoy went as far to liken Sanders to all-time great Tom Brady when discussing his work ethic.

“You’ve seen his work ethic. Everything you heard about him is not true. Don’t let the jewelry and the music and the swagger fool you. He’s a hard worker,” McCoy said. “The first thing that the head coach said: ‘Hey, he’s the first one in the building, he's the last one to leave.’ Sounds like someone else I know. His name was Brady. You know what I’m saying?”

Remember that pressure we mentioned earlier? Well, McCoy just amplified it a bit. Obviously, the ex-NFL running back did not make a direct player-to-player comparison. He was mostly comparing the two in terms of their dedication to their craft. Still, whenever a signal-caller is mentioned in the same breath as the GOAT, eyebrows get raised.

Sanders tossed 37 touchdown passes while completing 74 percent of his passes during his final season with the Colorado Buffaloes, the latter of which led the nation in 2024.

The 23-year-old could very well become the Browns' franchise quarterback, but he certainly has a long way to go before he can even light-heartedly compared to Brady.

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Matthew Schmidt
MATTHEW SCHMIDT

Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and basketball. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.