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Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders went viral for pantomiming during a recent interview, reportedly in response to comments made by former head coach Rex Ryan.
Super Bowl-winning head coach Bruce Arians questioned why Sanders was being interviewed.
“Why is the third quarterback getting interviews?” Arians said during an appearance on “Up & Adams.”
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) warms up before the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, on Sept. 28, 2025. (David Reginek/Imagn Images)
“You got nothing to do with the game, it’s all for media clicks. And he’s a heck of a personality, but the personality can’t come out until you do something on the field.”
The Browns announced Wednesday that Dillon Gabriel will be the starting quarterback, and Joe Flacco will be benched for their game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Flacco struggled as the Browns went 1-3 in his four starts while he completed just over 58% of his passes for 815 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions.
Arians cited the team’s quarterback change as a reason not to have Sanders speak to the media.
“It’s a big week for Dillon Gabriel, big week for the Browns making that transition. For him to even be available to the press, I don’t know why he’s doing it,” Arians said.
CAM NEWTON MAKES BOLD CLAIM ABOUT BROWNS’ MOTIVES, HANDLING OF SHEDEUR SANDERS
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half of an NFC Wild Card playoff football game at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Jan. 16, 2022. (Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports)
“To me, there’s no sense to have him available. Whoever is running their media relations should turn that down.”
Arians said he would try to get the best out of Sanders by making sure he practiced hard and stays prepared.
“Keep growing, go to practice everyday, work hard, and when your time comes, be ready. Make sure that are you are preparing to be the starter every single week, and if he is the emergency quarterback, it’s going to be in a big situation. He looked good in that first (preseason game) and he looked really, really bad in the second one.”
In the viral interview, Sanders was mouthing words and making hand gestures, but no words were coming out of his mouth.
Sanders’ interview was seemingly in response to Ryan’s comments about Sanders playing games with the media.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on Sept. 14, 2025. (Peter Casey/Imagn Images)
“This kid runs his mouth like, ‘I got could be a starting quarterback,’ with his arms crossed like this. Get your a– in the front row and study and do all that. If I know, the whole league knows,” Ryan said on ESPN’s “Get Up”. “Quit being an embarrassment that way. You got the talent to be a quarterback. You should be embarrassed that you’re not the quarterback now.”
Arians was a head coach in the NFL for eight seasons. He spent five seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He won the Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2020.
In 129 career games as head coach, Arians had a 80-48-1 record.
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