Now, it wouldn’t be like social media to misconstrue things, would it? At some point in the progression of the human mind, we hit a proverbial wall. Things like irony and sarcasm used to be second nature in everyday conversation but have become dangerous. An interaction between a couple of athletes, full of subliminal shots that are made in good taste, almost transpired into controversy. On the receiving end was Shedeur Sanders, ready to ascend to the next level in his rookie NFL season. The one dishing out the “insult” was one who already took the league by storm in his own rookie year.

Shedeur Sanders took part in the Flag Football exhibition game on Super Bowl weekend. This participation was actually somewhat controversial in itself, given he sat out the Shrine Bowl less than a fortnight ago. Alas, it was an opportunity to ease up some nerves ahead of what is the most crucial phase of his young career. The Combine is approaching quicker than Travis Hunter can run a route, and so is April’s NFL Draft. At this event, Shedeur interacted with a star cornerback and 2x Pro Bowler. What was essentially a minute or so of a pro athlete sort of rookie hazing was misunderstood as a series of disrespectful comments. So much so that Shedeur’s half-brother, Deion Sanders Jr., had to clear the air for the masses. Here’s the timeline of events and the subsequent resolution.

NY Jets star cornerback Sauce Gardner pulled up on Shedeur and began teasing him about the stones on his neck. “Those are Jalen Hurts chains!” he remarked, seemingly impressed by the quality of the diamonds. “Can I hang on to them?” he asked sarcastically. That NIL money has gone up substantially since Sauce was at Cincinnati. This interaction was posted to the @welloffforever IG page, run by Deion Jr.

The 2022 ROTY then asked Shedeur a probing question about whether he’d spoken to the Jets during his draft process. This was in conjunction with Michael Vick, coaching one of the teams, hinting at them playing together. Shedeur Sanders denied having a conversation with the Jets brass. This caused Sauce Gardner to go into a bit of a rant about Shedeur and his kin. Which certain people mistook as coming from a place of envy.

“That’s what I don’t like about people like you, bro. People who really have motion at quarterback. Y’all feel like you know what’s going to happen already…your pick is locked in. I get it, said Sauce Gardner. Shedeur Sanders nodded his head in disapproval and explicitly denied having answers about which franchise he was headed to. “They are spoiled when it comes to quarterbacks. The coach literally tells you, ‘we’re drafting you’. They don’t tell you that at the corner,” continued Sauce. This was obviously said in jest.

The demeanor of the two players expressed the fact they were just fooling around. However, the comments section was filled with people believing otherwise. The comments about the chain and the shade at QBs spurred the wrong notion. Owing to this, Deion Jr. said, “They all friends…calm down yall” 

Deion Sanders Jr. is aware of the kind of lens members of his clan are viewed with. He’s become used to dispelling misinformation about his brothers and his dad. Sauce has not shied away from attention since he’s come into the pros, either. This was just the perfect concoction of material that could’ve gone against both players. For Shedeur to land in trouble about “knowing” where he’s headed, and for Sauce to suggest it’s the case. Alas, problem averted. A franchise that’s almost certainly not in the race for Shedeur is the Jets, who pick 7th overall. One spot behind the Raiders, who are desperate for him to fall to them. That said, one team picking in the top 3 is warming up to the idea of Shedeur after being told to stay away.

Shedeur Sanders could end up going to a franchise in dire need of a messiah

You are a product of your environment. As labored as this cliché sounds, it rings true nonetheless. Especially for quarterbacks, let alone ones stepping in raw and malleable from the college level. Situations that a QB walks into can alter the trajectory of their careers. His father, Deion Sanders, knows the importance of a good environment conducive to growth and success. He wants his son to steer clear of certain ones that are a bit of a dumpster fire right now.

Over on IG, @nflrookiewatch relayed some news pertaining to Shedeur Sanders. “The Cleveland Browns are reportedly ‘all in” on Shedeur right now and have them tabbed as their guy at No. 2,” they said. Instinctively, it seems viable. But zoom out for a bit of a bird’s eye view, and you can see why Prime has hinted he’ll maneuver his son to a franchise of his liking. There are a multitude of negatives. DeShaun Watson, the imminent cap hit to get rid of his massive contract, and the lack of offensive firepower and weapons beside Jerry Jeudy. The list goes on. Not to mention the competition in the NFC North and the fact the Browns have historically been bad at developing quarterbacks. They’re even poised to lose their best player, Myles Garrett.

For now, Shedeur will be focused on presenting a good account of himself at the Combine. He cannot control his landing spot, but he can control what he does when he gets there. Jayden Daniels has shown what a rookie QB is capable of right from the jump. Shedeur Sanders will just have to avoid pitfalls and controversies on the way, even those manufactured out of thin air, such as this one with Sauce Gardner.