Through the first eight weeks of his rookie season, Shedeur Sanders has yet to make his NFL debut.
But while many call for the Cleveland Browns to turn to the former Colorado star amid another lost season, one prominent local reporter is wondering whether he even wants to play.
That’s the very question that ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi asked during Wednesday’s episode of The Really Big Show. Discussing the latest developments regarding Sanders’ back injury, the longtime Browns reporter and analyst reluctantly floated the idea that there’s more to the story than what’s been made public.
“What is starting to become a mystery to me is how could he have three different injuries without even taking No. 1 reps all year long?” Grossi asked, noting the tired arm and shoulder injuries he suffered in training camp. “I’m wondering — I don’t want to say it because people will jump all over me — but, does he want to play? Does he want to play?!”
“I’ll say it for you,” the show’s host, Tony Rizzo, chimed in. “Either these are made-up injuries or somebody doesn’t want him to play or he doesn’t want to play. I don’t know. I don’t know what it is.”
“Right,” Grossi concurred.
“Does he want to play???,” – @TonyGrossi is wondering what’s going on with Shedeur Sanders. pic.twitter.com/ItxyKvbw4g
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) November 5, 2025
While the circumstances surrounding Sanders’ injuries — and frankly, his entire tenure in Cleveland to this point — have certainly been strange, there isn’t any credible evidence that suggests that the 23-year-old quarterback’s injuries haven’t been legitimate. Still, until Deion Sanders’ son gets his crack at fixing Cleveland’s anemic offense, the conspiracy theories will continue, just as they have since the start of the Browns’ training camp.
The good news? Sanders will reportedly practice on Wednesday and it may only be a matter of time until he makes his highly anticipated NFL debut. And if he happens to do so and perform well, it seems like a safe bet he’ll have something to say to Grossi, just as he did after his impressive performance in Cleveland’s preseason opener.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.