Bruce Arians doesn’t understand why Shedeur Sanders is talking to reporters in the first place.
Arians appeared on Up & Adams Thursday and questioned why the Browns are letting their third-string quarterback anywhere near reporters. With Dillon Gabriel getting ready to make his first start and Cleveland trying to salvage its season, Arians thinks Sanders should be nowhere near the media spotlight.
“Why is the third quarterback getting interviews?” Arians asked. “You’ve got nothing to do with the game. OK, it’s all for media clicks. He’s a heck of a personality, but the personality can’t come out ’til you do something on the field. It’s a big week for Dillon Gabriel, and it’s a big week for the Browns, making that transition. For [Shedeur] to even be available to the press, I don’t know why he’s doing it.”
“To me, I mean, there’s no sense to having him available,” Arians continued. “Whoever’s running their media relations should turn that down.”
“Why is the 3rd quarterback getting interviews?”
Bruce Arians on Shedeur Sanders @UpAndAdamsShow
— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) October 2, 2025
Arians is responding to Sanders’ mime act on Wednesday, when the Browns’ rookie responded to questions about the team’s quarterback switch by moving his mouth without speaking. The Browns named Gabriel their starter this week, moving Joe Flacco to backup while Sanders stays at third string.
According to Adam Schefter, Sanders’ silent treatment was a response to Rex Ryan, who ripped the rookie on ESPN’s Get Up after Sanders told reporters last week he’s “capable of doing better” than some current NFL starters. Ryan’s criticism was harsh enough that Sanders’ mother, Pilar, called the ESPN analyst “cancerous” in a since-deleted Instagram post.
Rex Ryan on Shedeur Sanders: “This kid talks and he runs his mouth. Like he said, ‘I can be a starting quarterback’ with his arms crossed like this. Get your ass in the front row and study and do all that. If I know, the whole league knows. Quit being an embarrassment that way.… pic.twitter.com/onAE0caWKu
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 29, 2025
Arians doesn’t care about the Ryan feud or Sanders’ reasoning for the mime act. His argument is more fundamental. A third-string quarterback who isn’t playing has no reason to be fielding questions from reporters. The focus should be on Gabriel, who’s preparing for a crucial matchup, not on a backup creating headlines.
It should be noted, however, every player must be available to the media once during the week and after each game, per NFL rules. As a former NFL head coach, Arians should know this.
Regardless, the former Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach has a point about the circus surrounding Cleveland’s third quarterback. Sanders has dominated headlines despite being reportedly unable to get scout team reps early in the season. ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi argued Sanders can’t help himself and is “hurting” without attention. The rookie fell to the fifth round in April’s draft after being projected as a potential first-rounder, and every media appearance seems to add fuel to the debate about whether his personality hurt his draft stock.
Arians thinks the Browns should shut down Sanders’ media availability completely. It’s not about punishing the rookie. It’s about keeping the focus where it belongs, on the players who are actually contributing on Sundays. Sanders can talk once he earns his way onto the field. Until then, Arians believes Cleveland’s media relations staff should be turning down interview requests.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.