Cam Newton thinks Kevin Stefanski DOESN’T WANT to see Shedeur Sanders win 😬 | First Take

Cam Newton thinks Kevin Stefanski DOESN’T WANT to see Shedeur Sanders win 😬 | First Take

Welcome back to First Take. You know, Shidur Sanders entrance into the NFL didn’t quite go as he expected, slipping to the fifth round and then eventually going to the Browns where he was at one point QB4. Shur called that fuel for his fire back then. And it took him 12 weeks of the NFL season to be able to show the National Football League why he deserved better. On Sunday before his first career start against the Raiders, Shador Sanders, who by the way is Kevin Stfansky’s 13th quarterback during his tenure alone to make at least one start, had this to say. What do you hope to show against this Raiders defense, your teammates, yourself, and these Browns fans with your play today? I’m who they’ve been looking for. Appreciate it. I’m the one they’ve been looking for. and then he stood on business, leading the Browns to a 24-10 victory and snapping a 13-game road losing streak. Sanders also threw a 66-yd passing touchdown in the fourth. That was the longest completion by a rookie this season. He was also heavily pressured. Took only one sack. Here was Shador celebrating after becoming the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his debut since the 1990s. A win is crazy. It’s amazing, you know, off of one week of practice. You know what I mean? Just one week of practice. So imagine, you know, what a full off seasonason look like. It it get dangerous. But it’s just a one week of practice. So I’m just truly thankful, you know, that everything happened. Coming up here before y’all, I ain’t six, seven months ago, I couldn’t tell you I’ll be here, you know. God the only the only way I’m able to even get through everything, you know. Nobody cares if this was one week of prep. Who cares? You know, so a lot of people want to see me fail and it ain’t gonna happen. You know, it ain’t gonna happen. Damen Woody now joins us here on First Take. And Dwood, I’ll start with you first here. Uh, let’s be honest. The Browns defense was absolutely amazing in this game. They had 10 sacks on Gino Smith. But when talking about the quarterback, yes. Uh, just want Sorry to interject. Nice suit, Woody, for a change. Way to go. You may continue, Shay. Go ahead. He’s got his Thanksgiving bet on today. I’ll give him that. Uh 10 sacks on Gino Smith. So, Browns defense really good. They did their job. But what did Shador Sanders prove to you in that game yesterday against the Raiders? Well, I mean, he showed NFL traits in the game yesterday. I mean, you’re talking about a guy who, you know, arm talent was on display. I think Shadur Sanders had had three plays of uh 35 plus yards yesterday. Browns all year long from that quarterback position only had one. And so you saw the arm talent for Mr. Shur saying this isn’t listen it wasn’t wasn’t perfect by by no means yesterday but I was encouraged by you know the no sacks the minimum amount of of sacks that he took with the amount of pressure that he was uh that he was taking from the Raiders defense seemed like he knew where the moment didn’t seem too big he knew where he wanted to go with the football and so those are to me those are building blocks you know for Shador Sanders moving forward. What do you think Stephen A what did Shador prove to you? Well, listen. He proved that he deserves to be the starting quarterback for the rest of the season for the Cleveland Browns. That’s what he proved. He proved that he deserves to be put in the Lions then and to find out what his true capabilities are because certainly the Las Vegas Raiders are not the ideal test. They are horrible. I mean, horrible. Really, really bad. Chip Chip Chip Chip Kelly is not the only person that should have been let go last night. You understand? and and they lucky it’s a home game because if it was a road game, a legitimate argument could be made that they should be put on on commercial airlines Southwest or somebody. They shouldn’t even be allowed to charter home. There’s a bad team. There’s a bad team all the way around. So, it’s just it’s it’s it’s just the truth. It’s it’s just the truth. It’s just the truth. Pete Carol, God bless him. God bless him because he’s accomplished so much in his career. It’s time, you know. Listen, we can’t all work forever. Our days it comes. All right? It’s not it’s not there anymore, bro. It’s just not there anymore. So, let’s just get that out the way. But you Shador Sanders and you connect with Bond after scrambling out to your right, avoiding the blitz, and you throw that 52 yard touchdown pass. You throw the swing pass and you get a 66 yard, another touchdown, another touchdown there as well. I give credit where credit is due to Samson. That is I give credit where credit is due. You know, because obviously the first week was awful. 25% completion percentage last week when he came in. this week 55% completion 47 yards passing this time 2209 you know a touchdown pass last you know yesterday give credit where credit is due it was really really good to see him uh perform for him to have the opportunity after a few days of practice like he pointed out to really really showcase his skill and then you look at him he’s bigger than Dylan Gabriel he clearly has a better arm can spread the field better can throw the deep ball okay so he showed you some of the things as to why we were talking about him coming out of Colorado before he fell to being a fifth round pick. Here’s the only thing that I I did not like Kevin Stfansky hesitating, you know, to to to to say he’ll be starting next week. You could have at least said that. It’s ridiculous that he didn’t say at least that much even though we know he eventually will because as I was watching to this morning, he said it accurately. There’s no way that you could get away with not starting Shador Sanders. Cleveland will have I mean they’ll have mutiny in that city if they don’t put Shador Sanders back out there behind center this coming weekend. Outside of that, I also want to say this and I want to piggyback off of what Rex Ryan said on Get Up this morning. Respectfully, we come from different perspectives. He is right when he says, you know what, when you win, it’s us and it’s we. When you lose, it’s me. When you play quarterback in the NFL, that is true, Rex. But be fair, too. And I’m not saying he wasn’t, but I just want Rex to have a different perspective. How many people come into the league and before they have a chance to pass gas get scrutinized as much as Shador Sanders has been scrutinized? You have to take that into consideration as well, which will assist in why he said the things and came off the way that he did because he’s been taken a lot from a lot of people. So, that’s all I wanted to say about that. Yeah, I’m happy for Shador. Good for him. I agree ste with Stephen A. He would be the my starting quarterback moving forward for the remainder of the season. I don’t think you can watch the deep ball one and say you don’t want at least more opportunity of that or watch the reaction that Miles Garrett has on the sideline to the throw and walk into your team and be like, “Hey, we’re going to go back to Dylan Gabriel whether he clears concussion protocol or not.” So, I I’m I’m happy that Shador had that opportunity. Um listen, he didn’t show a ton else. Did it look like he handled the lights of the NFL environment? Absolutely. Did he move relatively well? Absolutely. Did he get the ball to where it should go more often than not? Not. There was multiple plays where the there was nothing to really do and no one was really open. So, I’m not sitting here telling everybody lit the world on fire. I’m not sitting here telling everybody it was a disaster. It was kind of what I expected. Um, he would be the starter for me. significantly bigger challenge next week against a real football team in the 49ers. Okay, now go ahead, Cam. He’s a rookie for Christ’s sake. And name the rookie quarterbacks that’s in the league right now. I give you one. Cam Ward. Okay. What Sanders showed the Cleveland Browns and the Cleveland faithful is this. He is capable. Dylan Gabriel hasn’t given you that yet. The having a week of practice. He said, “Oh, I only did this with a week of practice.” Okay, cool. What is he really saying? With only a week of practice, I was able to do that. Well, just give me more and I will be able to give you more. The reason why he’s running or rolling out, he probably slid the protection the wrong way and he knew, okay, I have to make a play. That throw that he made was a wild play. When was the last time? And that is including Johnny Manzel. That is including Zap. That is including uh Baker Mayfield. That is including every single quarterback that has ever been a part of the Cleveland Browns to say, “Wow, that was a throw.” Well, Baker had plenty of them. True. But when was Baker there? A couple years ago. Five years ago, too. You see what I’m saying? So, for me, I’m sitting up here saying, “Hey, yo. Oh, he’s a young player. Sure. Is is is are we jumping the gun?” I wouldn’t say we’re jumping the gun, but he’s also in a a rookie and he’s able to get spared certain things because he’s new to this. Now, what the natural instinct showed is something that you can build off of. And if Kevin Stfans does not make that move, it will be abundantly clear what’s the reason and what’s really going on in That’s fair. That’s fair. I mean, the Cam Ward comparison and JJ McCarthy, too, you could argue is like a rookie and he’s struggling immensely as well. We all you want to see is just flashes and that’s and that’s it. Go ahead, Stephen. A I got I got a I got a comment and then I want to throw it to the football guys to get y’all perspective on where I’m going with this cuz this is first take and you know we ain’t going to apologize for causing trouble when trouble’s necessary. Okay, the one obvious comment that I want to make is that this future Hall of Famer, this monster named Miles Garrett is something special. The man is sensational. Okay, he’s got 18 sacks on the season. He’s got 14 sacks in the last five games. uh the only guy with three sacks and three at least three sacks in three separate games this year. The dude is just on another level. Clearly the best defensive player in football. He’s something spectacular. Talk about him in the same breath that you talked about Aaron Donald since they had footage of Sam Aaron Donald at the Rams. I I find myself looking at the Los Angeles Rams and saying, “Damn, what if that dude what if that dude just said, you know what? I might come out of retirement for the rest of the season.” I’m like, “My god.” I mean, just just think about it because we know he can. That’s how special Aaron Donald is. But I find myself thinking about Miles Garrett every time I watch him because he’s just that sensational. Want to give him some major major love in that regard. Secondly is the question and this is where I go and it’s it’s it’s kind of troublesome but I got to ask y’all this. Quinn Sean Judkins. Did I pronounce his name right? Judkins. Yeah. That that y right now I know that the man scored touchdowns. Okay. But in order to score touchdowns, Kevin Stfansky had to take Shador Sanders out the game and line this cat up so he could, you know, he he could run from the quarterback position and and, you know, run it in for a touchdown. Here’s my question to y’all. What’s Cleveland’s record coming into this game? We’re at two and eight. Yes. Is it fair to say they’re not going anywhere? Yes. Is it fair to say that what’s most important is to find out what you got at the quarterback spot? Is that not fair to say? Come on. Why are you take I’m Hold on. I’m asking a question. I’m asking a question respectfully and sincerely. If you’re two and eight and you’re not going anywhere and you’re trying to find out what your quarterback is made of, why would you take him out in that particular situation instead of finding out what he could give you at least one of those times? Why not? Well, I I will say this. When you get all you guys know this, when you get down there that close, what’s the easiest path to score? Running the football. Running the football. running the football. I don’t have a I don’t have a problem with them taking taking Shador out of the same guy out of the game and just lining up and running like a wildat or some type of situation because running the football is the easiest path to score touchdown that close to the goal. So, what are you what are you? That’s not what I’m asking y’all. That’s not what I’m asking. I ask I that’s not what I’m asking. Let me ask you if you’re going nowhere, if you’re going nowhere and the objective is to find out what the quarterback is made of, why not leave him in there in that situation? Because I’m asking because and this would be my answer because that’s our viewpoint of the objective. And there is a part of that, but you can’t ask your guys on a consistent basis to practice a certain way and do the work a certain way and prepare a certain way and go play a certain way. Get into the game, have that monster doing what he’s doing, Miles Garrett, and then go, I’m actually just going to call a bunch of passes with guys who can’t win on the perimeter one-on-one just to see if Shadore can You can’t run with Shador Sanders in the game. No, you can’t run with him in the game. No, you you can, but the be like the design of the the game plan was to get into Wildcat in that situation. I’m I’m not going to just sit back and sit there and go, “Well, Kevin Stfansky took him out.” I’m not questioning that it’s the right football play under normal circumstances. I’m just saying these are abnormal circumstances. This season is over. It’s about finding out what he’s made of. The only reason I’m asking though from the one yard line. That’s the Okay. Well, I’m just asking. You might make a mistake. So what I would say is we had this conversation, what was it on Friday, right? And given the circumstances of what we’ve seen take place this year, certain things don’t tell me what’s being said. The optics show that Kevin Stefansky does not want to see Shadur Sanders win. When you give a person minimalistic opportunities in Shadura saying, “Hey, if we had this much excitement on the sideline, the players are responding differently. The fans are responding differently. Everybody is chiming in a little differently when this man is up under center. It’s not like he’s incapable because he showed that.” What I’m saying is if you would have gave half of the treatment that you’ve given Dylan Gabriel, what would that look like? And yo, it is abundantly clear that he’s going to say the right things. He’s going to he’s going to put on and oh yeah, well, we’re making it about young man development. You’re not making it about young man development. when you sit up here having a guy who’s been up under your tutelage going on for six months and you haven’t developed him the right way, coach of the year. And I like Stfansky, but it’s no person that I’m not going to sit up here and talk about whether it’s Jaylen Herz, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Kevin Stfansky, Kevin Patulo, it does not matter. You get the same uh thought process that I deem and I’m like, “No, bro. That’s not right.” And you know it’s not right. And it’s just given what we’ve seen. You see, you see th this is the kind of stuff right here that brings tears to my eyes right now. I’m getting a little bit emotional. I’m getting a little bit emotional because this is what I’m talking about. That’s all I was asking. See, Dan, let me let America know. I asked Dan a question. And see, this is the part that’s so slick about Dan. And and and Woody, it depends on what he’s wearing. When he’s when he’s wearing a suit, he goes political. when he just got on a shirt that he he a little bit more raw but he gets political when he get on a suit. Shay that’s who he is. He become a little bit more in case in I said I said Woody I said Woody in Dio’s case listen brilliant football M sometimes you know what I’m saying the brilliance overtakes you because you are a brilliant football mind Dio I’m proud to call you a colleague my brother I learn from you every day but here’s the problem you’re also a very nice guy and you’re very very you’re very very nice and this man knows Kevin Stfansky is a hell of a coach, okay? And he knows that. But the flip side to it, because he’s so exceptional, there’s a reality that comes with his position. And when you hear all the noise emanating out of Cleveland, you know good and damn well. Again, you ain’t going nowhere. Your damn season’s over. The teammates are on the sideline hyped over what they’re seeing. The one thing, yeah, you go, you guys scored the touchdowns. I got it. But you don’t sit up there and take Shador Sanders out. You throw him into the lion den. Throw him right in there. Let’s find out what he does near the goal line. Let’s find out what hit decision he’ll make. Let’s find out. But that’s not that’s not going to change your perspective. Here’s my whole thing with you guys with this Shador and Stfansky situation. Stfensky can do no right by you guys in this situation. That’s not true. That’s not true. You guys and I don’t want to put words in your mouth. I’m trying to be very respectful here. You guys are implying that intent he intentionally took Shador out of the game from like the one. I didn’t say that. I did not say that. I did not say that. He asked why instead of finding out why like why take Shadur out when you’re trying to see what But they’ve done that before this year, Stephen A. Like the Browns have done that before. No, no, no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Earlier you earlier you got a season. The season’s over. What you’re trying to find out now, what Cleveland wants to know about now is Shadore. You want him in every situation imaginable because you want to see what he does. Having Shador run a play or two from the one yard line. Is that going to No, I’m with you, Daniel. But what I’m saying is we’ve seen certain things. Let’s not make it about this. I think your pair your your point is fair. Okay, that’s all I’m saying. Given what we’ve seen this year, this is a coach that will not say a a player’s name, Shadur Sanders. This is a coach that will not give him reps. Shadur Sanders, this is a coach that is not developing this guy the right way. And Shadur Sanders, we’ve seen you be graceful, patient with Dylan Gabriel. You was giving Dylan Gabriel reps with Joe Flacco. So now what we’re asking for, it’s not we, I’m just just calling it how I see it. Now that I’m taking a step back and saying like, “No, bro. You cannot want this young man to succeed given of what you have done.” And that’s all. But if he if he did line him up at the one yard line on that play and he handed the ball off or something, would that have changed your perspective at all? No, that’s not my point. I’m not saying his argument is valid. And I’m not saying to Okay. Isn’t the objective I’m just asking isn’t Kevin isn’t Kevin Stfansky’s objective is to win football games. Win games. Yeah. Win games. Now we got this whole plot of We got this whole plot. I’m very disappointed in you. We got We got this whole disappointed Kevin plotting against you doing all stuff. We got We got conspiracy theories right now. We have seen Listen Listen, as I’ve said, I’m being repetitive here. Yeah. I know his dad, longtime NBA executive Ed Stfansky, who I love dearly. Okay. I’m not rooting against his son. And I know that Kevin Stfansky could coach his tail off. I’m simply saying there have been nuggets of evidence throughout the season that would indicate what Cam alluded to. And then we see Dylan Gabriel go down with a concussion. You know he’s in concussion protocol. You don’t even know if he’s available or not. And you refused to sit up there and rule him out as the starter for next week. That’s I’m talking about coming into this game. And then finally Wednesday, we hear Shador Sanders is finally going to get reps with the first team, which hadn’t happened in in training camp during the preeason, in the summertime, all season long. He comes out there, he performed yesterday. You don’t even say his name. You won’t commit to him being the quarterback next week, even though Dylan Gabriel is still in concussion protocol. Okay, come on now. We got a right to sit up there and say 1 plus one might equal two might equal two. I mean, damn. We can’t do that. Okay. I mean, we got to wait. We We got to be so protective. We can’t do that. We’re going to come on, man. Before we I’m going to break, man. I’m going to break. Okay. A quick yes or no. Not from him. A quick yes or no. Would you be shocked if Shador Sanders is not the starter next week? Yes or no? Would you be shocked? I would be. Yeah. Shocked. 0% chance he’s not the starter. Okay. Would you be shocked if that wasn’t yes or no? Yes. If you would be shocked. So, we all think Shador is gonna say this is gonna start. Leave him round. Great. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]

On First Take, Stephen A. Smith, Damien Woody, Cam Newton and Dan Orlovsky join Shae Cornette to discuss Shedeur Sanders and his performance with the Cleveland Browns during their game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

0:00 Shedeur Sanders and the Browns’ performance
0:33 Shedeur Sanders’ comments
2:00 Thoughts on Shedeur Sanders
9:20 Thoughts on Myles Garrett
10:25 Stephen A. goes off on the Cleveland Browns and Kevin Stefanski
12:00 Thoughts on Kevin Stefanski
20:10 Would you be shocked if Shedeur Sanders isn’t the starter next week?

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