Emmitt Smith knows football. That’s not up for debate.
When the NFL’s all-time leading rusher - a three-time Super Bowl champion and a Hall of Famer - speaks, people listen. So when Smith recently weighed in on Shedeur Sanders’ situation with the Cleveland Browns, it turned heads.
During an appearance on the Up & Adams show, Smith didn’t hold back. He questioned why Sanders hasn’t already been given the reins in Cleveland, saying, *“What does Cleveland have?
Absolutely nothing. So what's the debate?”
- Smith went on to argue that Sanders brings a different energy to the field, one that lifts the entire team. *“The team believes differently [with him on the field].
His energy is different.” *
It’s a strong endorsement from a guy who’s been around greatness-and helped define it. Smith also has a personal connection here.
He and Deion Sanders, Shedeur’s father, were teammates on those dominant Cowboys teams of the 1990s. That history adds an extra layer to his comments, whether he intended it or not.
Now, let’s talk about Shedeur Sanders and the Browns. Sanders’ rookie year wasn’t exactly a fairy tale.
It had its flashes, but also its frustrations. And while it’s easy to point fingers at Cleveland’s offensive line or a receiving corps that struggled to create separation, blaming the organization entirely doesn’t tell the full story.
The reality is, the Browns have every reason to want Sanders to succeed. He’s not just a quarterback prospect-he’s a brand.
A marquee name with a built-in following, thanks to his college career and his father’s legacy. If Sanders becomes a star in Cleveland, the ripple effect would be massive: more jersey sales, more prime-time games, more national buzz.
That’s not just good for the Browns-it’s great for the league.
So the idea that Cleveland is somehow holding him back on purpose? That doesn’t hold water.
This is the NFL. No team, no matter how dysfunctional, is in the business of sabotaging its own top draft pick-especially one with as much upside and marketability as Sanders.
That said, Smith’s larger point about Sanders’ impact when he’s on the field is worth paying attention to. There’s something to be said about a quarterback who can elevate the mood of a huddle, who gives his teammates confidence just by being under center. That kind of presence is hard to teach-and even harder to ignore.
But potential doesn’t guarantee playing time. In the NFL, jobs aren’t handed out based on hype or pedigree.
They’re earned. Great players force the issue.
They make it impossible for coaches to keep them on the sideline. That’s the challenge in front of Shedeur Sanders now.
He has the talent. He has the spotlight.
And according to Emmitt Smith, he has the belief of those around him. Now it’s about putting it all together-consistently.
If he can do that, the Browns won’t just give him the keys to the offense. They’ll build the whole franchise around him.