Emmitt Smith Sounds Off on Shedeur Sanders, Browns QB Situation, and 18-Game NFL Season
When Emmitt Smith speaks, people tend to listen - and at Super Bowl LX’s Radio Row in San Francisco, the Hall of Famer didn’t hold back. The Cowboys legend had strong words for the Cleveland Browns and the NFL at large, touching on everything from quarterback decisions to the league’s ongoing flirtation with an 18-game season.
Let’s start with what might be the most eye-catching take: Smith’s defense of Shedeur Sanders and his criticism of the Browns' quarterback situation. Smith questioned why Sanders isn’t being seriously considered as the starter in Cleveland, especially given what he sees as a lack of established talent on the roster.
“I guess coaches want to make sure guys know there’s no security in their position and they want them to be as competitive as possible,” Smith said. “No one wants to hand anything to them.
This is how they’re treating Shedeur. But they handed it to Drake Maye.
They also handed it to the kid in Jacksonville [Trevor Lawrence].”
Smith didn’t mince words about the Browns’ current outlook: “What does Cleveland have? Absolutely nothing.
So what’s the debate? Are you going to give it to Dillon [Gabriel] again?”
Smith’s comments reflect a broader conversation happening around the league - one that questions how young quarterbacks are evaluated and who gets the benefit of the doubt. His point? If a team doesn’t have a clear-cut starter, and a talent like Sanders is available, why not give him the keys?
But Smith wasn’t done there.
He also took direct aim at the NFL’s consideration of an 18-game regular season, a topic that resurfaced during Commissioner Roger Goodell’s Super Bowl press conference last week. Goodell tried to downplay the chatter, saying there have been “very little” informal conversations and no formal talks about expanding the season. But Smith isn’t buying it.
“Stop lying to people,” Smith said bluntly. “Tell people that the 18th game is about extra money because that’s really what it’s about.”
Smith’s frustration echoes a sentiment shared by many current and former players: if the league is going to ask for more from its athletes, it needs to be honest about its motivations - and it needs to offer something in return.
If the NFL does decide to move forward with an 18-game slate, players are likely to push for a second bye week, expanded rosters, and, most importantly, fair compensation. After all, each additional game means more wear and tear on bodies that are already pushed to the limit over the course of a grueling season.
Smith’s voice carries weight not just because of his Hall of Fame resume, but because he’s been through the grind. He knows what it takes to survive an NFL season - and he’s not afraid to advocate for the next generation of players.
Whether it’s calling out a team for overlooking a young quarterback or demanding transparency from the league, Smith continues to be a passionate, unfiltered presence in the football world. And as the NFL faces big decisions about its future, voices like his will only become more important.