Shedeur Sanders just finished his rookie season with the Cleveland Browns, and everyone can agree that it wasn’t exactly what he had envisioned. He didn’t start until weeks into the season, and even then, he struggled with inconsistency and dealt with a lot of injuries on the offensive line.
All in all, his first campaign wasn’t as great as he or his fans wanted, but he could still improve. While speaking to All The Smoke, Keyshawn Johnson defended Sanders, saying that “he did what he could do in a short period of time.”
However, when it came to one big problem with Sanders’ first year, Johnson was quick to point out his bad habit of holding onto the ball for too long.
“Gotta get rid of the football though,” Johnson said, before adding, “He’s not used to the NFL yet. The speed of the game.”
Keyshawn Johnson won’t sugarcoat Shedeur’s tape… not even to Deion. 👀
The retired NFL star breaks down the Browns QB’s rookie season: the good, the bad, and what’s next. pic.twitter.com/3AAmAIRC8K
— All the Smoke (@allthesmokeprod) February 4, 2026
Like many others, Johnson defended Sanders, saying he was thrown into a unique and challenging situation. He started the season as the third quarterback in the lineup and was called upon only when Cleveland’s other options were gone.
It’s not a shock that he didn’t look great right away. He didn’t have a lot of time to find his footing or adjust, as he never even practiced with the first-team until after midseason.
Johnson isn’t happy with how long Sanders holds the ball, and that is a common complaint from fans. However, that could improve with better-skilled players around him.
Todd Monken is an offensive coach, so he will probably sit down with Sanders soon and address the ball-holding problem, among other issues.
Johnson and many others don’t want to pass judgment on Sanders until they give him more time. But if they are talking about these same complaints at this point next year, they probably won’t be defending him as much.
NEXT: Former Browns Player Makes Big Career Change
