Long before the Cleveland Browns selected his son Shedeur in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft on Saturday, April 26, Deion Sanders blasted the team on social media.

“I love what the Browns have done this offseason, but if I’m a young QB, ain’t no way I’m going to Cleveland,” the NFL legend wrote in a tweet posted in 2018. “I would pull a ELI MANNING if possible,” he continued, alongside the hashtag #Truth.

(Eli Manning, the No. 1 draft pick for the NFL in 2004, was selected by the San Diego Chargers but refused to play for the team, who then sent him to the New York Giants.)

Deion’s tweet was resurrected moments after Shedeur’s draft pick was finally announced. The Browns selected Shedeur as the 144th pick in the 5th round of this year’s draft — a marked fall from draft projections that had the quarterback being selected as high as the first round.

UPDATE — 4/26/25, 2:42 p.m. ET: The Cleveland Browns confirmed via X that they had selected quarterback Shedeur Sanders as the 144th overall pick in the fifth round on Saturday, April 26. This makes Sanderst the sixth quarterback taken in the 2025 draft. Original story: After months of build-up and anticipation, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ […]

Shedeur began his collegiate career in 2021 at Jackson State, where Deion was the head coach. The pair departed for Colorado after the 2022 season. In his senior year, Shedeur completed 74.0% of his passes, with 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

Many were surprised Shedeur fell to the fifth round of the draft, though some point to Deion as part of the reason why the young quarterback seemed unable to curry favor with the 32 NFL teams. While some celebrate his larger-than-life personality and confidence, others are repelled by the same energy.

If there is one thing that you can definitely say about Deion, it’s that he is an enthusiastic supporter of his son. Back in May 2024 he told someone on X that Shedeur would be “a top 5 pick” and he’s maintained that energy ever since.

But things didn’t work out for the young athlete, and NFL insiders told Tom Pelissero there are a few reasons why. “The worst formal interview I’ve ever been in in my life,” said one person, who remained anonymous, of Shedeur’s reported and alleged discussions with members of the New York Giants’ leadership. “He’s so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates … but the biggest thing is, he is not that good.”

Shedeur responded to some of the criticism leveled at him at the NFL Combine in February 2025. “You think I’m worried about what critics say or what people have to say?” he asked reporters. “You know who my dad is? They hate on him, too.”

After the first round of the draft came and went without Shedeur’s name being called, Deion turned to religion. “My bible says God uses the foolish things to confound the wise & he chose the weak things of the world that he may put to shame the strong!” Deion posted via X on Friday, April 25. “Please know God ain’t done & God is just really getting started. Enjoy this lesson & stop stressing. #CoachPrime”