Shedeur Sanders 'went through hell' as rookie, Deion Sanders explains

Love him or hate him, it's clear Shedeur Sanders had more of a rollercoaster rookie year than most.

He went from being the potential No. 1 pick to slipping out the first four rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. Then the Cleveland Browns, whose mismanagement at quarterback has lived in infamy, take him in Round 5 after selecting Dillon Gabriel 50 picks earlier.

After starting the season as Cleveland's QB4, Sanders won the starting job in Week 12 and flashed playmaking ability the team hadn't seen under center all season. Cleveland won three of Sanders' seven starts with the former Colorado star eventually earning a Pro Bowl nod.

Deion Sanders, who coached his son at Colorado, is reflecting on the toll Shedeur's journey took.

"When he takes off his shirt, I see the scars on his back that he's been through hell, but he's made it through hell," Deion said in an interview with The Barbershop. "He kept going and he matured, not like he was a child, but he matured spiritually."

Deion took umbrage with the coverage of Shedeur, particularly the rumors of him coming into pre-draft meetings unprepared or with headphones on. Apparently Shedeur was able to block out the noise, though.

"A lot of things that was said ... it bothered me, but it didn't bother him," Deion said. "He just wanted the opportunity to get on the grass and do his thing."

In Year 2, Shedeur will have a more natural runway to the season under coach Todd Monken. If he could thrive amid the chaos that was his rookie season, it's exciting to think about how he could perform with organizational support now behind him.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Shedeur Sanders 'went through hell' as rookie, Deion Sanders explains