Shedeur Sanders confronts Browns reporter over ‘negative’ coverage after stellar preseason debut

Shedeur Sanders had quite the start to his NFL career, and much like his father did, he wasn’t shy about calling out a reporter afterward. 

Sanders threw for 138 yards and two touchdowns in his Cleveland Browns preseason debut against the Carolina Panthers on Friday night, which became the talk of the football world. 

In a YouTube video posted by his brother, Deion Sanders Jr., Shedeur was seen confronting one of the Browns’ best reporters, ESPN’s Tony Grossi, at Bank of America Stadium. It wasn’t a nasty interaction, though Sanders was sarcastic with the reporter. 

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“Tony, I be hoping you have something positive to say about me,” Sanders said to Grossi. “You only say negative stuff about me. And I’m like, ‘I ain’t do nothing to you.’ I ain’t see nothing positive that you ever say.”

Grossi’s response wasn’t audible, though they shared a laugh afterward. 

“What I do? What’d I do to you?” Sanders said as he walked away. 

Grossi’s thoughts on Sanders were heard on ESPN Cleveland after the game. 

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“I thought Shedeur was outstanding,” Grossi said. 

He also wrote that Sanders had “put the pressure on QB2 Kenny Pickett and QB3 Dillon Gabriel to get healthy and perform next week.”

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, #12 of the Cleveland Browns, walks out the tunnel prior to the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on August 8, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

The Browns will take on the Philadelphia Eagles in their second preseason game next week, where head coach Kevin Stefanski said Sanders will be getting considerable reps. 

Grossi has been critical of Sanders since the start of Browns training camp, but he isn’t the only one in the football world who has done so. 

Sanders’ fall down the NFL Draft board back in April was shocking to say the least, as he went to the Browns with the 144th overall pick. Since then, he has been critiqued without even taking a snap. 

In training camp, Sanders has had very limited reps with the first-team offense, oftentimes working with the second- and third-team players as he develops at the position. 

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) greets teammates coming off the field after a touchdown drive against the Carolina Panthers during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. (Jim Dedmon/ Imagn Images)

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But Friday night changed the conversation regarding the highly publicized rookie, and the Browns’ quarterback competition is heating up just how the NFL wanted it to. Sure, it remains Joe Flacco’s job to lose, but as Grossi said, Pickett and the fellow rookie Gabriel have some pressure after what Sanders produced in Charlotte. 

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