Shedeur Sanders confronts reporter after NFL debut
Shedeur Sanders had time on Friday night – some of it in the pocket, but maybe more of it after the game.
In the wake of Sanders’ positive debut vs. the Carolina Panthers, the rookie quarterback caught up with Cleveland-based reporter and radio personality Tony Grossi. Sanders appeared to take issue with Grossi’s negative slant towards him.
In the tunnels of Bank of America Stadium, Sanders addressed Grossi directly, and called out his coverage. And he did it with a smile on:
‘Tony, I be hoping you have something positive to say about me,’ Sanders tells Grossi in the video (via Well Off Media). ‘You only say negative stuff about me. And I’m like, ‘I ain’t do nothing to you.”
‘Come on, what I do? What’d I do to you, Tony?’
Sanders kept a smile on throughout the short-lived conversation and he and the reporter shared a little bit of a laugh before the passer headed into the locker room.
It’s not the first time that Sanders has confronted a perceived detractor in a public setting. In 2024, the then-Colorado Buffaloes quarterback caught up with Colorado State quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and refused to shake his hand following a 43-35 Colorado victory.
Sanders finished 14-of-23 passing with 138 yards and two touchdowns in the Browns win. He played almost three entire quarters and showcased skill that led some draft analysts to believe he should have been a Day 1 selection.
With more performances like he had on Friday night, Sanders may find himself speaking with plenty more critics in the coming weeks, months or years.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
