Michael Irvin is a ride-or-die for the Sanders family, and he’s never kept it a secret. Back in January, Irvin wasn’t shy about airing his frustrations when the Cowboys skipped on hiring Deion Sanders as head coach. “We lost an opportunity here,” Irvin barked back then when Jerry Jones showed faith in Brian Schottenheimer. “I was pushing for Deion Sanders to be the next coach. And I still stand ten toes down on that push.” And now, when Shedeur Sanders’ draft freefall started looking more like a skydiving accident, Irvin fired up the mic once again.
The Hall of Famer and longtime family friend didn’t mince words: “The NFL, for me, already — this looks funny. This looks fishy. I am sorry,” Irvin said, frustration dripping from every syllable. “This sh*t is shady. This is shady.” And honestly, could you blame him? Because here’s the kicker: just a few months ago, Shedeur was the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 pick. Or at least, was a sure-fire top 3 QB in this draft class. Instead? He didn’t hear his name until pick No. 144 when the Browns picked him.
But when the Dawg Pound was calling it a steal, Irvin was calling it a robbery. “I think the crime — the $40 million robbery — that just took place of Shedeur Sanders, or should I say, I think the crime — the $50 million robbery — of Shedeur Sanders, because that’s what I just witnessed. And that’s… wow.” Well, he has surely forced us to put on our thinking glasses.
So, let’s think for a minute here. Cam Ward, who went first overall, locked down a rookie deal worth $48.8 million, including a juicy $32.2 million signing bonus. Shedeur? He’s walking away with a fifth-round contract worth $4.6 million. Yikes! Plus, it stings even more because Shedeur wasn’t just some hype machine. He was the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Set an FBS record for career completion percentage (71.8%). Tossed 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns like it was nothing. You telling me a guy who surgically picked apart defenses suddenly forgot how to ball? Yeah, right.
In Irvin’s eyes—and honestly, a lot of folks watching—it wasn’t just a bad break. It was something darker. Maybe politics. Maybe old-school gatekeeping. Whatever it was, Irvin wasn’t buying the PR spin. And even now, with Shedeur landing in Cleveland, he’s not exactly popping champagne. The truth is, this story isn’t finished. Shedeur’s got his foot in the door now, and if you know anything about the Sanders bloodline, it’s this: don’t bet against them when the ball’s still alive.
But who’s to blame for this Shedeur Sanders freefall?
If you’re sitting there wondering how Shedeur Sanders slipped from “top 10 hype” to Day 3 afterthought, you’re not alone. Everyone’s got theories — but let’s be clear: it wasn’t because the kid can’t play football.
Chris Canty didn’t mince words about it either. “Shedeur Sanders not being picked in the first two days had nothing to do with his ability to play football.” And he’s not wrong. Sanders was hovering between the No. 5 and No. 25 range in most projections. No one — not even the stats nerds at ESPN Analytics — saw a fifth-round reality coming. In fact, they gave it less than a 2% chance. Yeah, less than 2%!
Shedeur Sanders not being picked in the first two days, had nothing to do with his ability to play football. @ChrisCanty99 pic.twitter.com/t3Wm2EGpuY
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) April 28, 2025
So, what gives? Canty summed up the confusion best: “Maybe we’ll never know the answer to that.” That kind of mystery doesn’t sit well in NFL circles, where draft boards are usually tighter than a two-minute drill. Stephen A. Smith took it even further, throwing gasoline on the fire by comparing Sanders’ tumble to Colin Kaepernick’s blackballing. His words? “This feels like Kaepernick-level collusion.” Big statement. Heavy words. And it didn’t exactly quiet the room.
Naturally, the internet lit up like a busted coverage on 4th and 20. X posts started throwing hands, claiming race was a factor. Some said this was about “America fearing strong Black men.” On the flip side, folks like Barstool’s Dave Portnoy called the race angle “insane,” reminding everyone that Cam Ward — a Black quarterback — was the first pick. His point? If you can ball, you get drafted. Period. Owners would, in his words, “stomp on each other’s throats to win.” Cold. But the league’s always been a brutal business, right?
In the end, Canty circled back to a simple, brutal truth: “It’s one of those anomalies that happens in the NFL that you can’t quite put a finger on.” Sometimes it’s talent. Sometimes it’s interviews. And well, sometimes the NFL just writes a script no one saw coming. Sanders’ story? It’s feeling less like a typical draft slip and more like a plot twist ripped straight out of an NFL docuseries. And guess what? You’re still watching it unfold.
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