In typical NFL Draft fashion, there’s always one polarizing player that fans, team executives and media to try and poke holes in their character in an attempt to devalue that player’s accomplishments and draft stock.
In the same vein, there are also players who rise up the draft boards because of something they did that captivates the current favor of the same NFL community, making them a hot commodity.
Deion Sanders’ son Shedeur, a top NFL prospect expected to be one of the first two quarterbacks taken in the draft is Black, rich and charismatic.
He doesn’t have the rags to riches story that many other big-time players have coming up. Shedeur is the son of one of the most electrifying and dominating athletes in history. Walking in the footsteps of a living legend is never easy and like his Hall of Fame father, Shedeur is not a competitor that one would call humble or afraid to meet any challenge.
Is There A Double Standard With How Shedeur Sanders Is Analyzed By Media and NFL Executives?
Most quarterback prospects are lauded for all of the intangibles that Shedeur brings to the game of football. However, there seems to be a double standard when it comes to Shedeur and part of any negative commentary surrounding Shedeur always seems to fall back on his dad in some way.
NFL reporter Josina Anderson addressed reports that she was told by a quarterbacks coach on one of the teams drafting in the top seven in April’s NFL Draft, that they felt Shedeur was too “brash” and “arrogant” and she basically dismissed it as straight hating.
Former NFL Player Stephen Weatherly Says They’re Hating On Shedeur: Blames Coaches
Former NFL defensive end Stephen Weatherly agrees with Anderson and joined the Shadow League “Locker Room” show to address the latest draft drama surrounding Shedeur and the validity of these leaked criticisms.
“Yeah they are just hating 1000%,” said Weatherly who played for the Vikings, Panthers, Broncos and Browns. “Speaking of my personal experience in the league, when certain people have those kinds of personalities that these coaches are eluding too, they exist, and not only do they exist they are perpetuated by these same coaches on their staffs because that person is helping them win.”
Weatherly Accuses NFL Coaches and GMs Of Being Hypocrites: Confident QBs Are A Must
Weatherly feels like the same personality traits that coaches supported when the player was winning, shouldn’t now be used against him to spin a negative narrative about his ability to play the game.
“So it’s the most hypocritical thing that I’ve heard for you to go out there as a coach or analyst and say this coach is going to be bad for the team when you have single-handedly fostered negative harmful personalities on your winning roster. So from my point of view I don’t like when anyone says that because you can look at any team and find problems.”
Besides, says Weatherly, there’s not a coach in the league who doesn’t want their QB to have all of the confidence he can muster.
“So when it comes to Shedeur and how he carries himself,” said Weatherly, “with all due respect, my QB needs to be confident. Out of all the people in the facility, I need at least three of them to not have any shake in their voice and the quarterback is one of them. So don’t knock his ability to help you bring in some W’s – which this is all about. Can he help you win or not?
Stephen Weatherly Says Shedeur Sanders Is A Victim Of NFL’s Coporate Agenda
The NFL is a business and in the corporate world, unfortunately sometimes too much Blackness and too much “brashness” can cause some complex reactions. Especially, as brand awareness become a part of the business decision of drafting a player.
“When you start talking about making the game less of a game and more of a business. It comes with all of those added things,” said Weatherly. “The last time we talked about the face of the NBA and Anthony Edwards… It’s deeper than that (performance). There are always these subtle nuances when it comes to this thing we call professional sports. Some people don’t want you to succeed or will put added pressure or worse take what you’re doing and hold it to a completely different standard just because of the way you look. The good news is that all the cards have been dealt at some degree so you’re aware of it.”
RELATED: Ex-NFL Player Defends Deion and Shedeur Sanders’ Controversial Decision to Skip NFL Draft
NFL Teams are also a bit sour about Shedeur skirting on throwing at the NFL combine, although Cam Ward and many other prospects did the same thing. The fact that Shedeur won’t actually be at the draft, but will have a private affair with Deion, Travis and others.
Having Deion Sanders as your dad is the gift and the curse. While feelings towards Shedeur will be swayed both negatively and positively by personal opinions about his father, who better than to help the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award winner navigate all of this than the brand master himself?
“Shedeur and especially his father Deion, they got the golden rule book on how to navigate potential problems with a smile on your face and at the end of the day there are stats to back it up,” Weatherly concluded.
