The Cleveland Browns selected Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of this year’s NFL Draft, giving the former Colorado quarterback an opportunity after his slide through the first several rounds.

Sanders is set to compete with three other quarterbacks for the starting job in training camp and the preseason, but he raised eyebrows during the offseason for the wrong reasons.

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The rookie quarterback was cited for two separate speeding tickets this offseason, issues that caused some to question his maturity – and perhaps to justify why he was selected in the fifth round of the draft.

The Browns are standing by Sanders despite the controversy, but general manager Andrew Berry acknowledged the issue on Thursday at the team’s practice facility.

“Not smart. Just not smart,” Berry said while speaking to reporters.

“It’s something that we’ve addressed with him. Look, he understands the implications, he understands the consequences. It’s not just about yourself. It’s not just about having a joyride, but that you could injure other people…a deer or something cuts out in front of you, your reaction time. It’s just dangerous.”

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Sanders was officially cited twice for speeding in June. The first incident took place on June 5, when he was pulled over by the Ohio State Patrol, who said the quarterback was driving at 91 MPH in a 65 mph zone.

The second citation came in the middle of the month, and police records indicate that Sanders was driving at 101 MPH in a 60 mph zone.

Following his speeding violations, Sanders has been active in the Cleveland community. He organized a community event after a devastating fire that displaced more than 40 residents from an apartment complex in the city.

The “Garden Valley Fun Fest” included free food, games haircuts and more for local residents.

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“I just wanted a day for everybody to get out here and have some type of enjoyment, excitement, bring just the family atmosphere back,” Sanders said, speaking to News 5 Cleveland. The rookie attended the event with his teammate Mike Hall Jr., a former standout for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

We’ll see how Sanders’ rookie season goes as he embarks on his NFL journey.

‘Not Smart’ – Shedeur Sanders Officially Called Out By Browns first appeared on Men’s Journal on Jul 24, 2025