An old clip of Aaron Rodgers defending Shedeur Sanders against critics of his HBCU background is resurfacing, but for a new reason. The resurfaced video from September 2023 shows Rodgers praising the quarterback’s talent, a stark contrast to the difficult questions now emerging about Sanders’s availability for the Cleveland Browns.
How Did the Narrative Around Shedeur Sanders Shift So Dramatically?
Shedeur Sanders
Oct 26, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) looks on during warm up prior to the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
The original moment came when Rodgers, speaking on “The Pat McAfee Show” in September 2023, pushed back against early analysts who claimed Sanders wouldn’t handle Power Five football. Rodgers argued that people dismissed Sanders long before seeing him play for Colorado, pointing out that the negative labels came from those who believed his time at Jackson State was inadequate preparation. Rodgers then delivered the line that is now recirculating.
“I am a fan of what Deion is doing. They must be doing something right. Shedeur played at Jackson State, but can he play big-time college football? Five hundred ten yards in Week 1. Come on. What are we talking about here?”
👀 Aaron Rodger’s on @ShedeurSanders being doubted about being able to play at the FBS level because he came from a HBCU .
Shedeur had 510 yards game 1 with Colorado.
The league knows he can play , they are just hoping that we somehow forget . #IRemember pic.twitter.com/7jSzrkCW5d
— Change7he Narrative (@change7he68182) November 6, 2025
At the time, one of the strongest criticisms came from the X account College Football Nerds, which stated that Jackson State’s competition “was closer to Florida high school ball than Power Five football.” Instead of using words, Sanders answered with his play. He immediately quieted doubters with a 510-yard performance against TCU, kicking off a 3-0 start for the Buffaloes. Throughout the 2023 season, he compiled 3,230 yards, threw 27 touchdowns, and completed 69% of his passes, all while playing behind a line that provided little protection.
Sanders maintained that efficiency into the next year. Through the first five games of 2024, he recorded 1,630 yards and 14 touchdowns against only three interceptions. Consequently, scouts who once questioned his transition from an HBCU to a Power Five school began to acknowledge his poise, even as some critiqued his tendency to hold onto the ball. The conversation shifted from whether he could play at a higher level to just how high his ceiling could be.
That history, however, now frames a much more challenging professional storyline. After slipping to the fifth round of the 2025 draft, Sanders landed in Cleveland with a chance to compete for a spot behind Dillon Gabriel. Instead, recurring back issues have kept him off the field entirely. The situation grew more complicated on November 5, 2025, when ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi questioned on The Really Big Show how Sanders had “three different injuries” without ever taking first-team reps. Host Tony Rizzo fueled the fire by suggesting the injuries were either exaggerated or that someone did not want Sanders to play. Those comments opened a new debate, one very different from the one Rodgers addressed two years prior.
As the old Rodgers clip resurfaced, fans reacted quickly to the renewed discussion.
One wrote, “Against TCU, Shedeur Sanders put up 500 yards passing.“
Another added,” The f***k boy apparently didn’t want the Steelers to draft Shadeur…allegedly.
A third said,” Shadeur got the Joseph Treatment. If you have read about Joseph in the Bible. It’ll end well for him, though.”
A fourth chimed in, “The nigga was high on scrooms that day.”
Finally, another one remarked, “Even Rodgers knows.”
The response highlights how the early doubts have continued to follow Sanders, even as the questions surrounding him have evolved.