UNSCRIPTED: Shilo & Shedeur Sanders Are They NFL Ready?
Unscripted By Keith Edmonds
FWIS Contributing Writer
Many of us have no idea what it’s like to play professional sports (although we do have OPINIONS). We watch these athletically gifted young men and women perform and project how we would do if just given these same opportunities to show what we can do! What makes things even tougher is when you have a father (or mother) that excelled in the sport that you are trying to master! And when I say “excelled” I mean to the point that they are recognized as arguably the best to have ever played in that sport!
Brothers Shilo and Shedeur Sanders sons of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders are attempting to make their various NFL teams the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns respectively and are again under the microscope of the world’s most famous court, say it together... The Court of Public Opinion! Shilo was listed as a 3rd string safety prior to his last game but was cut from the team after being ejected for throwing a punch at Buffalo Bills tight end Zach Davidson during a pre-season game on August 23, 2025. Teams were required to have their rosters down to 53 men by 4:00pm August 26, 2025, and Sanders did not help his cause with those actions. "You can't throw punches in this league," Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles said after the game Saturday. "I mean, that's inexcusable. They're going to get you every time. Shilo has gotta grow from that." Shilo (who was undrafted in this years NFL draft) signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent and though he was released, he can still sign with another team that will give him a better “fit” to make their roster.
Now as for Shedeur Sanders, he was drafted explicably in the 5th round of this past season’s NFL draft after an outstanding senior season at the University of Colorado where he (along with Shilo) played for their father Deion. He played well during his one start this past pre-season against the Carolina Panthers but struggled (mightily) in his last game against the Rams. He is now listed as the 4th string QB for the Browns and may/may not see much action this upcoming NFL season.
Both of these young men have carried themselves with pride and dignity and have said all of the right things during their media days for their teams, but you know that being the sons of “Prime Time” Sanders their competitive nature is bursting to come out! But I’ll go back to the headliner of this piece Are Shilo and Shedeur Sanders NFL Ready? Most experts say...NO and I’m inclined to agree with them! They both are missing some intangibles for their positions that need their attention. They BOTH are extremely talented and if the NFL does not work out for them this season the Toronto Argonauts of the (CFL) Canadian Football League currently hold the negotiating rights to both brothers which I think could be a huge move for them if they decided to go that route. However, several things would need to happen for this reunion in Toronto. First, the Browns would have to release Shedeur. From there, the quarterback would need to go unsigned to another team’s active roster or practice squad, (which seems unlikely at this time). There’s also the possibility that Cleveland could sign Shilo as a free agent due to the fact that NFL teams are always looking to add defensive backs to their rosters in today’s pass like crazy NFL!
In my very humble opinion, both of these young men will be NFL players with Shedeur being given the first opportunity since he remains (as of this writing) a part of the Browns roster listed as their 4th string quarterback. I know that their father is doing his absolute best to try to stay out of things with regard to his sons, but could you sit back and watch this as their parent? Especially knowing that this is a league that you DOMINATED in as a player? Be honest with me! (smile) I wish them both well and as they always say.. “Cream rises to the top!”
*Note: As of this writing the NFL season has begun and Shilo Sanders currently has no NFL team that he’s connected to, while Shedeur Sanders is listed as the 3rd string quarterback for the Cleveland Brown..