Rex Ryan's Shedeur Sanders comments: Why former NFL coach is going viral for rant about Browns rookie

Rex Ryan's Shedeur Sanders comments: Why former NFL coach is going viral for rant about Browns rookie originally appeared on The Sporting News

Shedeur Sanders has to be the most talked-about fifth-round draft pick in recent memory. The Cleveland Browns decided to draft both Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel and Sanders in the same draft class, hoping to find their quarterback of the future.

Cleveland has since gone with Joe Flacco under center through the first four weeks of the season, and Sanders has been consistently listed behind Gabriel in the depth chart. The Browns decided to make a quarterback swap for Week 5 and went with Gabriel, which wasn't a surprise. The shock to the sports world was that Flacco was made his backup and Sanders remained QB3. 

Early in Week 5, before the Browns decided to bench the veteran quarterback, ESPN analyst and former head coach Rex Ryan talked on "Get Up" about Sanders and the Cleveland QB situation. His comments were harsh, but also on brand with how Ryan carries himself as an analyst. Sanders responded in a unique way on Wednesday that went viral on social media. 

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Here is more on the comments that Ryan made about Sanders and how the rookie quarterback responded.

MORE: Why Shedeur Sanders isn't starting over Dillon Gabriel

Rex Ryan's comments on Shedeur Sanders

Sanders has been criticized throughout his entire NFL career. While you may say it is only Week 5, the rookie has been criticized since his pre-draft process, when reports came out that he was telling teams not to draft him. Then, he had his number retired at Colorado despite barely having a winning record in two years with the program.

Sanders has provided material for outlets, so the local Cleveland beat continually tries to ask him questions about his role with the team. Ryan has taken exception to how the quarterback has carried himself, just over a month into the season.

He cited the quarterback "talks, runs his mouth," and Ryan told him to "get your a— in the front row and study. Quit being an embarrassment that way. You should be embarrassed that you're not the quarterback now."

Shedeur Sanders pantomiming today was in response to ESPN analyst Rex Ryan criticizing the rookie QB earlier this week. Here is what Ryan said Monday on Get Up that led to Sanders pantomiming answers today about Cleveland’s QB change and him remaining QB3: pic.twitter.com/MDRWz8hb4h

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 1, 2025

ESPN's Adam Schefter talked about Ryan's rant on Thursday morning, the day after Sanders' response in his interview. Schefter didn't outright say it, but he implied that Sanders is being a distraction because the analysts were talking about the third string quarterback miming interview responses, and not the rookie who is about to make his NFL debut in London.

Adam Schefter on Shedeur Sanders' mime act: "A lot of people are probably unaware that Rex Ryan ripped him and he's responding to Rex Ryan. So people see this clip and they say, 'what is this guy doing here?' without realizing the actual context to it." pic.twitter.com/iyogDrdj1T

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 2, 2025

MORE: How Shedeur Sanders' Ravens draft snub has already backfired

What did Shedeur Sanders' mom say about Rex Ryan?

Ryan doesn't pull any punches when he provides his commentary on sports talk shows. Sanders' mom, Pilar, didn't pull any punches when she responded to Ryan's comments about her son. She posted on her Instagram story about Ryan's rant.

"To young Athletes and Football fans This is what impotent, cancerous, envious energy looks like. This type of Evile goes waaay back - you can cut it with a knife- embedded in blood and bones seeping through all of the rotting worm holes it has. What and who does he really represent? Its' family and peers should be embarrassed to know and let this on their platforms. There's no room for this type in sports. Please [shushing emoji] Tsk tsk tsk Enuff!"

Why did Rex Ryan rip Shedeur Sanders?

It's kind of the role that Ryan plays whenever he is included on the "Get Up" panel. He provides insight from being a former head coach in the league, and he tends to get heated about a topic when he is on the show, but it doesn't seem like he has a personal vendetta or anything against Sanders.

Ryan just seems tired of always hearing about Sanders, from his perspective, and not seeing the rookie doing anything to better his situation. The analyst has seen the Browns' quarterback situation and, like many fans, is shocked that Sanders isn't getting an opportunity, so Ryan decided to blame the rookie, assuming that he isn't doing enough to earn playing time. 

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Shedeur Sanders mime interview

Players are required to do media appearances, but they aren't required to give answers. Marshawn Lynch is now infamous for his "I'm just here so I don't get fined" interview, where he said that after every single question the media asked him.

8 years ago today, marshawn lynch did not indeed get fined pic.twitter.com/BVY1xQu1h0

— FansView (@FansView_App) January 28, 2023

The Browns rookie quarterback took that up a notch on Wednesday after Ryan's comments. Any time he was asked about being the QB3 still after Dillon Gabriel was deemed the starter to overtake Joe Flacco who moved into the QB2 role, Sanders mimed his answers.

He would emote and move his mouth, but he made no sound. It made for one of the weirdest interview segments we have ever seen from a player.

#Browns Shedeur talking, or… Not talking to Shedeur after being named the third string… Yes your volume is fine. pic.twitter.com/AwnsxCUpyr

— Coop (Justin Cooper) (@JJCoop25) October 1, 2025