Rex Ryan decided to stir the pot this week on ESPN’s Get Up. The former Jets coach called Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders “an embarrassment” and demanded he sit “in the front row” to study harder. Ryan offered no evidence from inside the Browns’ building, but his comments implied insider knowledge, leaving many to wonder whether his attack carried more weight than simple opinion, AwfulAnnouncing reports.

The fallout didn’t just spark debate, it also triggered an unusual response from Sanders. Asked about his status as Cleveland’s third-string quarterback, the rookie mouthed his answers instead of speaking. The clip of him smiling, shrugging, and silently responding to reporters quickly spread online, fueling discussion about his place in the league and his approach to criticism.

Meanwhile, the Browns benched Joe Flacco after a 1-3 start and handed the keys to fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, who won his conference’s Offensive Player of the Year and placed top ten in the 2024 Heisman voting. Sanders remains QB3, but Ryan’s rant put him back in the media spotlight in a way few backup quarterbacks ever experience.

Newton and Wright weigh in

Enter Cam Newton and Nick Wright. On Newton’s 4th and 1 podcast, the former NFL MVP and the FS1 personality came to Sanders’ defense. Newton said the backlash Sanders faces feels personal because he experienced the same treatment early in his career.

Article Continues Below

“Shedeur has always been in this category where people want to say, ‘Be humble,’ whether they’re fans or not,” Newton said. “When you’re a young Black quarterback with star power, that’s the thing they can’t wait to say.”

Wright echoed the sentiment, pointing out that backup quarterbacks with charisma and visibility often get criticized more harshly than their peers. “One of the only jobs in America where you get penalized for star power is backup quarterback,” Wright said. “The NFL still treats that as a distraction.”

He added that perceptions of aura versus arrogance often carry an unspoken racial undertone. “There’s always a component of how identity affects the way players are judged. For some, confidence is aura. For others, it’s arrogance. And who gets which label often depends on who’s watching.”

Shedeur Sanders’ silent press conference may have been unorthodox, but his defenders believe the spotlight on him reflects deeper issues about how young quarterbacks are judged, especially when they come with a famous name and a big following. For Newton and Wright, Ryan’s rant is just the latest reminder of that reality.