[Op-Ed] Like Atlanta, Shedeur Sanders Isn’t a Real Thing

Shedeur Sanders is a character.

Sure, he’s the son of college and NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders and was a standout quarterback at Jackson State and the University of Colorado. So, he’s got the bona fides on the field. 

And yes, the sports world was captivated when he dropped from the first round to the fifth round of the NFL draft. Depends on who you ask; it was because of his interviews, while others say it was because the NFL wanted to hold a grudge against Sanders’ attitude during interviews. Who knows? No one. But we got a billion think pieces out of it. 

Now, with something to prove, Sanders made his case to move from fourth on the depth chart to starter for the Cleveland Browns after a standout performance where he threw two touchdowns in his preseason game over the Carolina Panthers. 

To Shedeur’s detractors, it was a fourth-string QB playing against a second-string defense. For his defenders, it was Shedeur playing with his second string against a second string. 

Nike, always quick to seize a cultural moment, launched an instant social media ad titled “Only a Matter of Time,” featuring Sanders proudly at the center in his Browns uniform after he’d thrown a touchdown, his arm raised in triumph.  

But again, remember that Shedeur Sanders is a character. 

When I say character, I’m not referring to his inner morality, like whether he’s a good person or not. How we see Shedeur Sanders isn’t really him, in the same way that Michael B. Jordan isn’t both Smoke and Stack in Sinners. Jordan is playing a role, and his job is to make you forget the human being behind the role exists. 

Shedeur as a human being, is very much real, and throughout his career, he will feel the hits, the bruises, the torn ligaments, the broken bones, and the devastating defeats. 

And he’ll also revel in the triumph, the glory, and the victories that lock in our brains for generations. That’s the life of a professional athlete, and whether Sanders feels more of the latter than the former is why we watch the games. 

That is real. 

But the character of Shedeur Sanders is disconnected from the real-life, flesh-and-blood Shedeur Sanders. For most NFL fans and the general public following the story, Shedeur Sanders is a concept, a Rorschach inkblot test for Americans and their views on issues as broad as race, sports, nepotism, fame, arrogance, and confidence, and who gets to embody these traits or not. Lucky for Shedeur, he had a great mentor to learn about navigating the life of a character. 

Shedeur’s dad, Deion, recognized this during his career. Deion Sanders, who in the 1980s played defensive back, an unglamorous position at the time, decided to change that. 

Long before the concept of a personal brand existed, Deion Sanders crafted the Prime Time persona, complete with a Jheri curl and more 1980s gold chains around his neck than Run-DMC. It was bold, brash, and exuded an unapologetic confidence that was proven on the field, where Deion not only dominated but also redefined the role of a defensive back. And those who disliked him or didn’t understand him tried to tarnish his name as Neon Deion. 

They didn’t matter.  

Because as loud and eye-catching as Prime Time was as a character, or Neon Deion for the haters, both served a valuable purpose for Deion Sanders, the man. It kept people from truly knowing who he was as a person, and it created value. Prime Time was worth more commercially than just Deion Sanders.  

Decades later, we would discover that Deion Sanders, the person, was extraordinarily ordinary.  Not only a religious man but also a typical father, coaching his kids and others, like thousands across the country, in football. When he became a coach, one of his first steps was to shed the Prime Time/Neon Deion persona for Coach Sanders or Coach Prime. The previous characterizations had run their course. 

Shedeur Sanders observes his father and recognizes the difference between Deion the dad and the Prime Time persona that the world perceives. Since his days at Jackson State, he’s been confident in himself, enjoying the privileges of wealth his parents provided, and appreciating how fortunate he is to have inherited the genetic lottery and become one of the top athletes in the country. 

He knows who he is because he recognizes the cognitive dissonance needed to operate in public as a character versus as a human being. 

America wants to shape who his character is. On one side, he’s a nepo baby who’s only in this position because of his father. On the other side, he’s a kid who worked hard to get where he is, his last name be damned. 

One side argues that outward humility is necessary of him, while the other notes that if you find me a humble professional athlete, I’ll show you a loser. That arrogance, whether hiding a lack of insecurity or stemming from a high level of confidence, is what it takes to compete at the highest level. 

For Shedeur, nothing could be better. Shedeur Sanders’ character creates a situation where half the fans root for him, and half root against him. Similar to his father, who faced the same criticisms, everyone is talking about him. Why does that matter?

Shedeur Sanders is brilliant, and he understands that the Shedeur Sanders persona will bring real money to his bank account. According to reports, Sanders negotiated a clause in his contract called Prime Equity that gives him a percentage of his name, image, and likeness, while also allowing him to retain his media rights.  

This isn’t a new thing; European superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi have long had clauses like this in their contracts, but it is unusual for a fifth-round pick making an initial salary just over 4 million to potentially make himself one of the wealthiest NFL athletes based on jersey sales. 

Guess who leads all NFL rookies in jersey sales?

In a business where the average NFL career is shorter than a presidential term, Shedeur has already secured his financial future long after the cutthroat business of the NFL has discarded him and moved on to the next shiny thing. 

Ultimately, Shedeur will be judged by his performance on the field. As a human being, he took his draft snubbing as internal motivation to succeed and prove the doubters wrong. That’s him as an athlete motivated to be the best. That’s him as a kid who watched his father demand excellence from not just from him, but from all of his kids, regardless of their athletic abilities. 

Is Shedeur Sanders the real deal? He’s gonna have everyone talking about Shedeur Sanders the character on Mondays, whether you like it or not. Whether he goes 20 for 20 with four touchdowns or 0 for 20 with four interceptions. And that’s the point. The real Shedeur is cashing in on that reputation. 

I ain’t mad at that at all, and I’m pretty sure Shedeur is laughing all the way to the bank, one jersey sale at a time.

Lawrence Ross is the author of “The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities” and “Blackballed: The Black & White Politics of Race on America’s Campuses.” He’s also the founder of TheMetaphorClub.com, a new social media platform that emphasizes community, selflessness, and authentic relationships. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, April. 

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