Shedeur Sanders' Mime Stirs Browns Controversy

Shedeur Sanders, the Cleveland Browns' third-string quarterback, silently mimed answers to reporters after the team announced rookie Dillon Gabriel would start over Joe Flacco, a clip that quickly went viral. ESPN reporter Adam Schefter said the pantomime was a direct response to former coach Rex Ryan’s on-air criticism, which called Sanders an embarrassment for talking about being a starter. Reactions were split: Deion and Pilar Sanders defended and applauded the move, while national pundits warned that optics matter and some called the stunt immature. Local reporters and team sources suggested Sanders may have been trying not to upstage Gabriel and did not intend a personal slight. Sanders remains listed as QB3 as the Browns move forward with Gabriel as the starter, and his media persona and perceived preparedness are under heightened scrutiny.