32 NFL Franchises Annoyed With Shedeur Sanders for Combine Announcement as Titans Asked to Focus on Cam Ward

The NFL Draft is always full of drama, but Shedeur Sanders just turned up the heat. Usually, top prospects pull up to the Combine, sling some passes, and boost their draft stock. But Shedeur? Nah, he’s doing his own thing—and let’s just say, NFL teams are not vibing with it.

Instead of throwing at the Combine, Shedeur’s gonna focus on team interviews and let his highlight reel do the talking. As per an update on X by NFL insider Ian Rapoport, that sounded less like news and more like a carefully crafted press release, on February 23, “#Colorado QB and potential top pick Shedeur Sanders plans to focus on his interviews with teams at the NFL Scouting Combine, helping them continue to learn him as a person. He’ll allow his four years of film to speak loudly, then throw at his Pro Day with four draftable CU WRs.”

Titans beat writer Easton Freeze wasn’t having it either. He called out Rapoport’s post, reducing it to “One of the funnier agent(ish) copy-paste tweets in a while.” WEEI’s Andy Hart, on the other day, said it was a “PR-packaged way of saying he won’t work out/compete at the Combine.“

That means if scouts wanna see him throw, they gotta book a trip to Colorado for his Pro Day, where the QB will be alongside four Buffaloes receivers that are eligible for the 2025 draft. NFL analyst Brett Kollmann put it best: “It’s not the biggest deal in the world that Shedeur isn’t throwing, but it is kind of annoying for GMs and DCS folks that he’s had two chances to throw in front of evaluators at this point and now everyone has to go out to Colorado just to see it.” Translation: NFL execs are pressed.

As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler put it, “The coaches I talked to today said, ‘Look, I would have liked to have seen him throw, but I guess I’m just going to have to make that trip to Colorado to see it’.” Is that a hint of annoyance we hear?

But, look, it isn’t uncommon for players to skip the Combine. Remember when Caleb Williams took the same route, and was even picked first overall by the Chicago Bears last year? Or have you forgotten Jayden Daniels, who was the second overall pick by the Washington Commanders, after Williams? Unfortunately, though, there’s one stark difference between these folks and Sanders: His slipping draft stock.

Once touted to be a first overall pick, the former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback is now sitting as a measly No. 22 overall, according to mock draft by CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli. But if that’s the case, is Sanders doing himself more harm than good with his Combine shenanigans? More importantly, why exactly is skipping the event?

Well, Fowler noted, “The messaging teams have received, at least from Sanders’ camp, is that he does want to highlight his Colorado receivers. He’s got several pass-catchers that are draft-eligible and are good players. He wants to make sure those players get the proper publicity.” The biggest irony? Deion Sanders’ own statements.

Back in 2015, the CFB coach wrote on X, “Why would a athlete be afraid 2 do what he’s blessed 2 do at the combine. If u have a gift open it up and show the world. #NFLCombine #Truth”. One word: WOW. Guess, Shedeur is confident enough in his abilities, and is not listening to that Draft stock noise too much. After all, numbers do speak for themselves, isn’t it?

Top Comment by Giovanni

Risky move. He knows his slow and not as good athlete as people think he is.

Share your take

Debate

The QB went off this season. He led Colorado to a 9-4 record, torched defenses for 4,134 yards, and tossed 37 touchdowns with just 10 picks. Oh, and let’s not forget—he set a school record for passing yards and finished eighth in Heisman voting, and was the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. In two seasons with the Buffs, the star went 651-of-907 passing for 7,364 yards and 64 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. The dude wasn’t just ballin’; he was rewriting history. So yeah, he’s got the numbers to back up his confidence. But skipping the Combine? That’s still a bold flex.

Whether this is just media overreacting or Shedeur playing chess while everyone else plays checkers, one thing’s for sure—he’s got the NFL world in their feelings.

Should the Titans swipe right on Cam Ward instead of Shedeur Sanders?

With the NFL Draft creeping up, the Tennessee Titans are in the market for a quarterback, and former NFL QB Cody Kessler thinks they should set their sights on Miami’s Cam Ward instead of Shedeur Sanders. His reasoning? Ward’s got a cannon for an arm, crazy off-platform throwing ability, and—most importantly—a new head coach in Brian Callahan who knows how to mold QBs into stars.

Kessler said, “I think they take a quarterback. I would go out and take Cam Ward. I think his arm talent is off the charts.” While he did mention his throws are amazing, “I think he can make every throw that you can ask him to make from off-platform, right from throwing sidearm, getting over the top without getting his feet involved,” Kessler said.

The former QB is riding hard for Cam Ward, and honestly, you can see why. The dude’s arm is straight-up ridiculous—he can launch sidearm lasers, sling it off-balance, or casually flick a touchdown to the back of the end zone flat-footed. Yeah, you read that right. “There’s a throw in the bowl game where he’s standing flat-footed and just flicks it to the back of the end zone,” Kessler pointed out.

That’s not just ‘arm’ talent—that’s the main character energy. In a league where defenses are out here sending blitzes like they’ve got a personal vendetta, having a QB who can make magic happen from anywhere on the field? That’s a serious weapon. Ward wasn’t just putting up numbers in 2024—he was taking over games, leading Miami to a winning season while making jaw-dropping throws look routine.

But here’s where things get even more interesting—Brian Callahan. The Titans’ new head coach isn’t just some guy with a whistle; he’s the dude who helped turn Joe Burrow into Joe Brrr. Callahan was right there, guiding Burrow through injuries, sharpening his decision-making, and molding him into one of the best QBs in the league. And now? Kessler thinks he could do the same thing for Ward. “Brian Callahan was instrumental in Joe Burrow’s success,” Kessler said. “He took Joe Burrow, who had two injuries during that time… and he allowed him to become the quarterback that he is today.” Translation: Callahan knows how to take a raw but talented QB and turn him into a star.

Now, let’s be real—Ward isn’t flawless. His biggest problem? Sometimes, he thinks he’s in a Marvel movie, trying to play hero ball when all he needs to do is chill. Instead of taking what the defense gives him, he forces throws that don’t need to happen. And in the NFL, where DBs are basically psychic and linebackers run 4.4s, that’s a problem. “He just needs to learn when to play hero ball and when not to. When to be Superman and when it’s OK to be Clark Kent,” Kessler said. And he’s right—every QB needs that balance. You can’t go full send on every play, or you’re gonna end up with more turnovers than touchdowns.

But if there’s one coach who can teach Ward when to let it fly and when to relax, it’s Callahan. With the right coaching, Ward’s natural talent could turn into something special. The only question is—will the Titans roll the dice on him, or are they still thinking about Shedeur? Either way, this draft just got a whole lot more interesting.

Of course, the Titans do have options. With around $50 million in cap space, they could sign a veteran QB as a stopgap. Kessler acknowledged saying, “They could go out and get a bridge quarterback if they want to take some time and then maybe wait till later drafts to find their rookie quarterback or their future franchise player.” Kessler made some solid points there.

Ward’s got the raw talent, and Callahan has the coaching chops to turn him into something special. The only question is—do the Titans see him as their guy, or will they take a different route? We’ll find out soon enough.