UK
An NFL career is not made up of a single preseason victory. After Shedeur Sanders threw two touchdowns in the Cleveland Browns' victory against the Carolina Panthers last night, BetMGM is one bookmaker that has chosen not to follow in Sanders' footsteps.
In the first half, two touchdowns
Give Sanders the credit he deserves. In the first half of Sunday night's 30-10 victory in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sanders finished 14-for-23 for 138 yards and two touchdown passes, both to Kaden Davis, marking his NFL quarterback debut.
From the Panthers' 11-yard line, he threw a precise dart to Davis for his first touchdown.
Despite being a highly regarded draft prospect, Sanders—the son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders—has also been divisive, mostly due to claims about his character, actions, and perceived privilege.
A Sharp Decline in the NFL Draft
In the NFL draft in April, Sanders was predicted to be selected in the top three, but he fell all the way to the fifth round, when the Browns selected him.
Despite playing against the Panthers' second team last night, Sanders' performance could cause the Browns to move him up to the fourth spot on the quarterback depth chart, behind Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel.
“When I get out there it’s just doing what I gotta do,” he told Associated Press. “Everything else is not in my hands, so I don’t worry about it. I just don’t think that deep into everything because it’s nothing you’re gonna be able to control. So why put energy in something that you can’t control?”
LeBron Participates in Hoopla
During Friday night's game, NBA star LeBron James joined in the commotion by writing on X:
“That young (man) looking good out there! Keep going UP!!! HEAD down on the grind and HEAD high to the most high.”
There is no denying that Sanders makes headlines. After the game, he even had something to say to a Cleveland radio personality who had previously criticized the NFL rookie.
"Oddsmakers at BetMGM remain unimpressed, however. As John Ewing from BetMGM posted on X today, “Shedeur Sanders’ odds to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, +3000 yesterday, +3000 today.”
The Las Vegas Raiders running back, Ashton Jeanty, has the shortest odds at +260, while Sanders is +4000 at ESPN Bet. At FanDuel, Sanders is +5000 (Jeanty is +250).
The story's lesson? Preseason is just that—preseason.
