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USA Today
19-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Beware, Shedeur Sanders: Browns could cut you for less than speeding tickets
Beware, Shedeur Sanders: Browns could cut you for less than speeding tickets Show Caption Hide Caption Shedeur Sanders not feeling pressure from his doubters After sliding in the NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders explains why he's not bothered by his many doubters as Browns career begins. Sports Pulse It's one thing to catch fire on the football field. Think about what wideout Puka Nacua has done during two exceptional seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, for example. Otherwise? Fifth-round draft picks entering the NFL need to be flame retardant. In the case of Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, encasing himself in an asbestos cocoon might have been the prudent move. Alas. Rather than avoiding an NFL spotlight that's sparked so many off-field wildfires over the years, Sanders has instead provided fresh kindling for a legion of critics waiting to pounce – cited by police for driving 101 miles per hour after midnight ET Tuesday in suburban Cleveland. The listed speed limit where he committed the infraction was 60 mph. Turns out, it was his second speeding ticket in Ohio this month. Maybe you're thinking this isn't a big deal, mistakes easily ascribed to youthful intemperance. And Sanders, 23, didn't cause any accidents. He wasn't driving under the influence. His maximum legal exposure for Tuesday's fourth-degree misdemeanor is a $250 fine. Yet it's hard not to regard the behavior as more troubling given it's apparently becoming a pattern. And, per court records obtained by ESPN, Sanders failed to appear for an arraignment for his first citation and could have to pay $269 in fines and court fees. "He is taking care of the tickets," club spokesman Peter John-Baptiste told Beyond that, the Browns haven't issued a public statement. Nor has Sanders. And why should they? These incidents – if it's even the appropriate term – pretty plainly speak for themselves. 'I just feel like in life and everything, it's just me versus me, you know?' Sanders said following Cleveland's rookie minicamp last month. 'I can't control any other decision besides that. So, I just try to be my best self at all times.' Obviously, he's falling short of that goal. Still, it would be silly to suggest that these should be fireable offenses − for now. However they are certainly (additional?) unforced errors from a player whose judgment outside the lines has drawn far more scrutiny in recent months than his generally reliable decision-making on the field. And it's fair to say a guy who's been running with the fourth stringers is further distinguishing himself in the Browns' crowded competition to be QB1 in 2025 – and that isn't a compliment. There are three men ahead of Sanders on Cleveland's depth chart. Grizzled veteran Joe Flacco is a former Super Bowl MVP who also revitalized the Browns into a playoff squad in 2023. Kenny Pickett didn't pan out as a 2022 first-rounder for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he does have a 15-10 record as a starter in the NFL and earned a Super Bowl ring of his own last season as a backup with the Philadelphia Eagles. Like Sanders, Dillon Gabriel is a rookie. Gabriel was also drafted 50 spots ahead of Sanders following a distinguished college run that saw him start the most games ever (64) by a Division I quarterback while accounting for an FBS record 190 career touchdowns. He led the University of Oregon to a No. 1 ranking last year and a berth in the College Football Playoff. Sanders (somehow?) got his No. 2 – a digit the Browns didn't even see fit to let him select – retired by the University of Colorado, which went 13-12 during his two seasons and didn't win a bowl game. Despite his unremarkable physical skills, he was unequivocally one of the country's better college quarterbacks – though it also helped to play with Heisman Trophy-winning receiver Travis Hunter, the No. 2 overall pick of this year's draft. Nevertheless, neither Flacco, Pickett nor Gabriel has been ticketed for excessive speeding … or drawn flak for anything else of note in their personal lives. Meanwhile, Sanders must prove he's a superior option to a trio of others who have reputations as sterling citizens and, in one context or another, solid quarterbacks. And, don't forget, there are also quite a few notable players behind Sanders. Just since 2012, the year Jimmy Haslam became the club's owner, the Browns have spent first-round picks on the likes of Brandon Weeden and Baker Mayfield, the top pick in 2018. Cleveland traded back into Round 1 in 2014 for Johnny Manziel, then gave up the farm and a fully guaranteed $230 million contract to acquire troubled Deshaun Watson eight years later. (Remarkably – or maybe not since we're talking about the Browns – neither Watson nor Manziel ever led Cleveland in passing yards in a season even once.) It didn't take Haslam long to lose patience with Weeden or Manziel, who didn't last two years in the league thanks to his pitiful play and off-field transgressions. (And, as of June 2025, no one should be comparing Manziel's brand of hubris or serious personal issues to anything Sanders has done, allegedly or otherwise − though the latter also isn't the must-see, dual threat football talent 'Johnny Football' once was.) Mayfield often played well – and frequently through pain when he doubtless would have been better off anywhere but a football field – for a fairly flawed team yet was still unceremoniously dumped in favor of now-injured Watson, who only remains on the roster due to his onerous contract. And these were all guys the Browns were heavily invested in. And, remember, they already own two first-round choices in what's expected to be a quarterback-rich 2026 draft, so it's not like any of their current passers has a significant margin for error. Though Sanders was widely expected to go in the first round of this year's draft, more than one pundit suggested the son of legendary Hall of Famer and Buffs coach Deion Sanders would more likely be a Day 2 pick if his name was Shedeur Jones. Turns out, apparently since his name is Shedeur Sanders, who was never the kind of generational talent who'd blind teams with scintillating gifts, he became a fifth-round flier – the type of player who doesn't even need to give a team a reason to cut him. Asked about his approach after Cleveland finally ended his highly scrutinized draft free fall in April, Sanders said this: 'Get there and handle my business. Do what I have to do, whatever role that is. I'm just thankful for the opportunity. So that's all I could ask for. 'The rest is on me.' Yep. Sanders should practice what he's already preached. If he's not more careful, the next ticket he's served with could be the one-way variety – to football exile. All NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
USA Today
19-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Beware, Shedeur Sanders: Browns could cut you for less than a speeding ticket
Beware, Shedeur Sanders: Browns could cut you for less than a speeding ticket Show Caption Hide Caption Shedeur Sanders not feeling pressure from his doubters After sliding in the NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders explains why he's not bothered by his many doubters as Browns career begins. Sports Pulse It's one thing to catch fire on the football field. Think about what wideout Puka Nacua has done during two exceptional seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, for example. Otherwise? Fifth-round draft picks entering the NFL need to be flame retardant. In the case of Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, encasing himself in asbestos might have been the prudent move. Alas. Rather than remaining clear of an NFL spotlight that's sparked so many off-field wildfires over the years, Sanders opted to provide fresh kindling for a legion of critics waiting to pounce – cited by police for driving 101 miles per hour after midnight ET Tuesday morning in suburban Cleveland. The listed speed limit where he committed the infraction was 60 mph. Maybe you're thinking this isn't a big deal, easy enough to ascribe this mistake to youthful intemperance. And Sanders, 23, didn't cause an accident. He wasn't driving under the influence. His maximum legal exposure for a fourth-degree misdemeanor is a $250 fine. The Browns haven't issued a public statement. Nor has Sanders. And why should they? This incident – if it's even that – pretty plainly speaks for itself. 'I just feel like in life and everything, it's just me versus me, you know?' Sanders said following Cleveland's rookie minicamp last month. 'I can't control any other decision besides that. So, I just try to be my best self at all times.' Obviously, he fell short of that Tuesday morning. Still, it would be silly to suggest that this is or should be a fireable offense. However it's most certainly an (another?) unforced error from a player whose judgment outside the lines has drawn far more scrutiny in recent months than his generally reliable decision-making on the field. And it's fair to say a guy who's been running with the fourth stringers is further distinguishing himself in the Browns' crowded competition to be QB1 in 2025 – and that is not a compliment. There are three men ahead of Sanders on Cleveland's depth chart. Grizzled veteran Joe Flacco is a former Super Bowl MVP who also revitalized the Browns into a playoff squad in 2023. Kenny Pickett didn't pan out as a 2022 first-round pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he does have a 15-10 record as a starter in the NFL and earned a Super Bowl ring of his own last season as a backup with the Philadelphia Eagles. Like Sanders, Dillon Gabriel is a rookie. Gabriel was also drafted 50 spots ahead of Sanders following a distinguished college run that saw him start the most games ever (64) by a Division I quarterback while also accounting for an FBS record 190 career touchdowns. He led the University of Oregon to a No. 1 ranking last year and a berth in the College Football Playoff. Sanders (somehow?) got his No. 2 – a digit the Browns didn't even see fit to let him select – retired by the University of Colorado, which went 13-12 during his two seasons and didn't win a bowl game. Despite his unremarkable physical skill set, he was unequivocally one of the country's better college quarterbacks – though it also helped to play with Heisman Trophy-winning receiver Travis Hunter, the No. 2 overall pick of this year's draft. Nevertheless, neither Flacco, Pickett nor Gabriel has been ticketed for excessive speeding … or drawn flak for anything else of note in their personal lives. Sanders needs to prove he's a superior option to a trio of other ones who have reputations as sterling citizens and, in one context or another, solid quarterbacks. And don't forget, there are also quite a few notable players behind Sanders. Just since 2012, the year Jimmy Haslam became the club's owner, the Browns have spent first-round picks on the likes of Brandon Weeden and Baker Mayfield, the top pick in 2018. Cleveland traded back into Round 1 in 2014 to pick Johnny Manziel, then gave up the farm and a fully guaranteed $230 million contract to acquire troubled Deshaun Watson eight years later. (Remarkably – or maybe not since we're talking about the Browns – neither Watson nor Manziel ever led Cleveland in passing yards in a season even once.) It didn't take Haslam long to lose patience in Weeden or Manziel, who didn't last two years in the league thanks to his pitiful play and off-field transgressions. (And, as of June 2025, no one should be comparing Manziel's brand of hubris or very serious personal issues to anything Sanders has done, allegedly or otherwise − though the latter also isn't the must-see, dual threat football talent 'Johnny Football' once was.) Mayfield often played well – and frequently through pain when he doubtless would have been better off anywhere but a football field – for a fairly flawed team yet was still unceremoniously dumped in favor of Watson, who only remains on the roster himself due to his onerous contract. And these were all guys the Browns were heavily invested in. Though Sanders was widely expected to go in the first round of this year's draft, more than one draft pundit suggested the son of legendary Hall of Famer Deion Sanders would more likely be a Day 2 pick if his name was Shedeur Jones. Turns out, apparently since his name was Shedeur Sanders, who was never the kind of generational talent who was going to blind teams with scintillating gifts, he became a fifth-round flier – the type of player who doesn't even need to give a team a reason to cut him. Asked about his approach after Cleveland finally ended his highly scrutinized draft free fall in April, Sanders said this: 'Get there and handle my business. Do what I have to do, whatever role that is. I'm just thankful for the opportunity. So that's all I could ask for. 'The rest is on me.' Yep. Sanders should heed his own advice. If he's not much more careful, the next ticket he's served with could be the one-way variety – to football exile. All NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
USA Today
18-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Shedeur Sanders cited for speeding over 100 mph Tuesday
Shedeur Sanders cited for speeding over 100 mph Tuesday Show Caption Hide Caption Shedeur Sanders not feeling pressure from his doubters After sliding in the NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders explains why he's not bothered by his many doubters as Browns career begins. Sports Pulse Shedeur Sanders' first NFL offseason continues to be an eventful one. The Cleveland Browns' fifth-round rookie quarterback was cited for speeding over 100 mph early Tuesday morning, according to a citation obtained by USA TODAY. Sanders, 23, was caught driving 101 mph in a 60 mph speed limit zone in Strongsville, Ohio, a city in Cuyahoga County, around 12:30 a.m. on June 17. Sanders may choose to fight the ticket in court. According to the citation, he has a court date set for July 3 should he wish to contest it. Otherwise, he may pay a $250 fine to waive the case, according to the Strongsville Mayor's Court Online Docketing and Ticket Payment System. The Browns have declined a request for comment.
USA Today
11-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Sean McVay: Aaron Rodgers to the Rams 'was a possibility'
Sean McVay: Aaron Rodgers to the Rams 'was a possibility' Show Caption Hide Caption Aaoron Rodgers on new chapter with Pittsburgh Steelers Aaron Rodgers met with the media after his first practice with the Pittsburgh Steelers and explained why now was the right time to sign with the team. Sports Pulse Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers' decision to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers felt like a forgone conclusion for months. But Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay revealed Wednesday that Rodgers could have ended up in the City of Angels. McVay told NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" host Kyle Brandt that one of the Rams' top goals in the offseason was figuring out a deal with incumbent starter Matthew Stafford. If it hadn't worked out the way it did, Los Angeles' contingency plans included making a push to sign Rodgers. "I have a ton of respect for (Rodgers') body of work," McVay said. "I've gotten to know Aaron and really enjoy the conversations and the approach, the way he thinks about the game. So, that (signing Rodgers) was a possibility." LOS ANGELES RAMS: Team is the 'right place' for wide receiver Davante Adams Near the beginning of the offseason, the Rams had permitted Stafford to seek a trade as he and his agent explored the veteran's market value for a potential new contract. Despite reported interest from the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants, Stafford decided to remain in Los Angeles. Ultimately, the Rams renegotiated Stafford's contract to give him a pay bump. Though he was initially due $58 million over the next two seasons, the new deal will pay him $84 million over the final two years of the four-year extension he signed in 2022. Rodgers, meanwhile, remained a free agent until late last week, when news broke that he intended to fly to Pittsburgh to sign with the Steelers ahead of their mandatory minicamp. The former Jets quarterback officially signed his contract on Saturday and was present for Pittsburgh's first day of minicamp on Tuesday. "I know that there's a lot of people in Pittsburgh that are really excited that's finally come to fruition, and I'm a big fan of his," McVay said.
USA Today
10-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Emotional Browns say they will miss cherished running back Nick Chubb
Emotional Browns say they will miss cherished running back Nick Chubb Show Caption Hide Caption Aaoron Rodgers on new chapter with Pittsburgh Steelers Aaron Rodgers met with the media after his first practice with the Pittsburgh Steelers and explained why now was the right time to sign with the team. Sports Pulse BEREA, Ohio — Few players in Cleveland Browns history became beloved to the level Nick Chubb did. His departure after seven years in northern Ohio, formalized by Chubb signing a one-year deal with the Houston Texans this week, was equally felt by the fan base and inside the Browns' locker room. "Love Nick," defensive end Myles Garrett said. "A lot of people in this locker room still feel the same way as I do. "We want the best for him." Chubb made four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2019-22 and rushed for 1,525 yards, a career best, in 2022. At 80.5 rushing yards per game, he trails only Jim Brown in franchise history, while his 51 touchdowns ranks third behind Brown and Leroy Kelly on the all-time team list. 'I got time to grow and mature': Shedeur Sanders battling at Browns camp "You guys know how I feel about him," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "Huge part of our success here and a huge part of our franchise." Disaster struck two weeks into the 2023 season, when he suffered a devastating knee injury that ended his year and required an extensive recovery. The way he battled back further endeared him to his teammates and fans. But he broke his foot with three games to play last season, with the Browns well removed from the playoff race. To see Chubb go through all of that broke Garrett's heart. But Chubb passed his physical with Houston, and Garrett is happy he can still play and wants to see him return to form with a smile on his face. 'Continue to ball out,' as Garrett put it. As he negotiated his record-setting (at the time) contract extension amid an offseason trade request, Garrett said he made it clear during his conversations with the front office that he also wanted Chubb back. Instead, the Browns went younger at the position and drafted Quinshon Judkins out of Ohio State in the second round and Dylan Sampson from Tennessee in the fourth. Garrett's like what he's seen thus far from the backs in general but he called it 'an emotional blow' to not have Chubb around any longer. 'He's broken through all the ceilings that we set for him while recovering from injuries he's had, as extensive those have been,' Garrett said. 'He's special.'
