Shedeur Sanders reflects on his first career start and win against the Raiders | NFL on ESPN

Shedeur Sanders reflects on his first career start and win against the Raiders | NFL on ESPN

How y’all doing? Chilling, relaxing, thankful. Your entire life. Has it changed? That’s what I’m about to ask you. Did you How did you feel coming at the pro level? I’m not going to lie, I felt very relaxed. Very relaxed. And half of that comes from preparing, studying, um, and knowing I got God on my side. So throughout all that, I had no worries. I had I didn’t feel nervous or anything before the game because, you know, like he took all all my worries and everything away. Just how you summarize this this performance how you feel like um I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it a lot. Um 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, um being able to see my family, that that was important and I’m happy they was here to be able to witness it. Um but without God, nothing possible, honestly. And and I mean that truly and dearly. And um everybody starts different places and and and like I say, just because I didn’t get the summer reps, you know, just because I wasn’t in in in the best situation. Um for me to be prepared to go out there and and execute like from a summer standpoint, um that’s how life is, you know. Everybody’s not in the right everybody’s not in the best situation, you know, but it’s no excuse. You got to go out there and perform. Like there’s no choice, there’s no question. 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 going to happen, you know? It ain’t going to happen. Unfamiliar position for you to be in for the last six, seven months. Yeah. What have you learned about yourself the most in that time? Um, I learned a lot. Um, mentally I feel like I’m able to understand more. I’m feel like I’m able to. And the thing was I I was always great at understanding perspectives and stuff because you got to really take a deep dive of how we grew up. Like when we grew up, my dad had us in a 30,000 foot home. Then after that, he took us to go play ball in the inner city, you know. After that, we transferred and he moved us across town because he wanted us to get that dog in us, you know, to have that mentality to have that it factor in us. So then we we we went to charter schools and I don’t know if you’re familiar with charter schools and like, you know, it’s not it’s not the best, but you know, you got you got a lot of different people from different situations that that that you got to be able to adapt to. So that’s that’s where all those core different things of being able to relate, being able to understand. But now since I went through everything uh the past 6 months, it it it it led me to a whole different understanding, you know, and um it led me in in in my own experience with God with having faith, you know, when when nobody else can help you in your situation, you know, but but God, you know, so um that’s why I’m truly thankful and I’m truly happy and I I this the first time I was never had stress, you know. I did the work. I did everything I can in my power I was able to do. So the rest is was left left up to them. Just the comfortability you had with Ethan specifically. Yeah. And then the rest of the offensive line, how did that you feel like that grew over the course of the weekend, especially? Yeah, for sure. I feel like they they they respect the way I go about my business, you know, and and being a backup and everything. sometimes you have to compromise your personality and and change the way how you do things, you know, to never step on anybody’s toes. So, the fact that um I got an opportunity and I was able to show uh the organization, show everybody who I really am, then then then that was truly exciting. So, you know, I was I was I was off balance for for a little bit, you know, past couple months my life, but it it was different. But I’m thankful, you know, to be back to be back where I am. You talk about feeling more. Where did you feel the most comfort? I I would say I would say getting thrown into the Ravens game. I say that’s what it is. Soon as we got that last drive, I said, “Oh yeah, this how they play.” Then I was able to get right. It’s different when you watch it from the sideline. Like everybody could analyze, everybody can say everything from sideline. You could watch TV, everything. You could be, you could talk on t whatever you want to do. But until you get out there and and you do it, then it’s different. Going out there, you know, um with, you know, only practice with the Hungry Dogs and everything, like that’s different, you know. I don’t It’s a lot of vet quarterbacks, you know, that had their time and everything that that were backups and was able to get thrown in the game and be all right, but I don’t think that’s like that in their rookie year. That that’s a difference, you know, like that’s that’s different. And I’m thankful for that experience because that helped me get to where I am today. That helped me go into the game very comfortable knowing that they got a great defense uh with the Ravens knowing the different looks how they could be confusing to the naked eye. Um but that’s why during the game I was smiling so much cuz I’m like, “Oh yeah, if this if this what it is, I know I know I’m going be able to accept that challenge and move forward one day and be able to to to have success.” So that’s the that that’s the mentality I went with going and prepping for this week. We know they got a dog on the D lineman. We know about Max Crosby. We know about that. But you know, I fear no man. You know, only thing I fear is God. How was it general thoughts on Max? Oh no, we definitely we definitely had a game plan for him. He’s he’s a great player. Um overall he he he let his presence be known and um you know going and just reflecting you know I’m in the moment right now so we don’t truly understand you know the how everything was cuz when you in the moment you you can’t see full view of everything. So, I I’m thankful for it. Going against them, going against like all all those great defensive legends over there, you know, it it was truly amazing. But when you get out there, you just got to not care and just be like, it is what it is, bro. You know what I mean? That’s that’s the mentality you have to you have to have. Your first one. Oh, we got to get him, too. We got the first long pass, a 52 yard when you spun out. Uh, did that make you feel any kind of way? I mean, uh, did did I know you came in with confidence, but could you take us through that play just how it made you feel making that play? Um, I would say you you the thing is I visualize everything during the week. The game was already played. So that’s why I h I have confidence. That’s how I’m able to talk how I talk, walk how I walk, you know, do what I’m able to do because the game was already mentally played already before we was out there. Then when you get out there, you confirm, you know, what you watch everything and um yeah, then you got the guys in the right spots when you need them in the right spots for for different situations, then um then you’re able to capitalize off them. So, like I said, it it comes down to I’m thankful for the coaches, you know, putting everybody in the spots. I’m thankful for the old linemen being able to take me under their wing, you know, and uh be able to grow and build with them. I’m thankful for the team, you know, having my back throughout this whole period. that really stepped up. I mean, Harold made that run. Can you just talk about how you guys uh really stepped up, you know, all the rookies together? Yeah, all the rookies is extremely special. Um, you know, we go with a term, but I can’t say the term on here, though. We have a term though. It’s called young, you know what I’m saying? But we but but we definitely we definitely want to come in and create change and and we have those conversations. We talk, you know, about what we got to do, you know, and be proactive, not reactive. We got to bring the energy sometimes, you know. Um, and not saying the vets don’t, but it’s just on offensive side of the ball, we we struggle sometimes. So, we we need somebody to be that match. We need somebody to be that light. So, I’m thankful that we got all the different type of duos over there, all the different key players on the offensive side of the ball. And it’s some hungry dogs that that’s still out there that that ain’t been a part of been a part of the travel squad yet. No, I was a fifth round pick. I got skipped by everybody at least five times. So, so it’s not it just come with the game, you know. It is what it is. But, um I’m just thankful for where I am now. You know, I I don’t Everybody have their differences. They have they But I still got opportunity to play. So, why could I be mad? You know, money different, but thankfully I have a good family, you know. So, it is what it is. cuz we not playing for that. We playing for the love of the game. So, I’m just thankful to be out here, have opportunity, be able to go and um play. Go out there and play. Go out there and start. Like, you don’t know how surreal, you know, that feeling is knowing that you have the responsibility of the Browns organization on your shoulders. You know, having all the fans, you know, everybody in here arguing with each other online and everything. Everybody have their differences about me. It is what it is. But, um I’m just thankful I’m here before y’all, you know, today. and hopefully we clear a little stuff up, but we have a long way to go, a long way to grow. Um, and I know it’s only one way and only ways up. Appreciate it. Thank y’all.

Shedeur Sanders addresses the media after picking up the win in his first career start in the Cleveland Browns’ 24-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

#ESPN #NFL

✔️ Subscribe to ESPN+ http://espnplus.com/youtube
✔️ Get the ESPN App: http://www.espn.com/espn/apps/espn
✔️ Subscribe to ESPN on YouTube: http://es.pn/SUBSCRIBEtoYOUTUBE
✔️ Subscribe to NBA on ESPN on YouTube: http://bit.ly/SUBSCRIBEtoNBAonESPN
✔️ Watch ESPN on YouTube TV: http://es.pn/YouTubeTV