It’s been happening for a hundred years — literally — in pro football, it’s happening as we speak and it will happen going forward.
It’s not an exact science.
So there’s no shame — none at all, only frustration and disappointment in most cases, and elation in a few others — when teams misevaluate players.
Way back when the Pittsburgh Steelers needed a franchise quarterback almost as much as they needed to take their next breath, they found a guy right in their back yard, deemed him to be unworthy and cast him off. His name was John Unitas.
Along about the same time, the Steelers thwarted the team immediately behind them at the top of the NFL Draft, the arch-rival Browns, by plucking a quarterback Cleveland desperately wanted, a one-time Alliance High School Aviator in Len Dawson. Distraught, Browns head coach Paul Brown took who he thought was the runnerup prize, a running back named Jim Brown. The Steelers got distraught themselves with Dawson and eventually traded him to the Browns, who were only too happy to get him. But Dawson flamed out in Cleveland, too, and it wasn’t until he got to the Dallas Texans, the forerunner of the Kansas City Chiefs, and was reunited with his offensive coordinator from Purdue, a young head coach named Hank Stram, that he blossomed.
For the record, the great Paul Brown also traded away, or released, the likes of Bobby Mitchell, Doug Atkins, Dick LeBeau and Henry Jordan, all of whom are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Jim Marshall, who is on the cusp of such, sitting in the Hall of the Very Good.
Later on, after Brown left, the Browns underestimated Leroy Kelly, drafting him in the eighth round, Brian Sipe, a 13th-rounder, and Earnest Byner, a 10th-rounder. Those are good mistakes to make, but mistakes nonetheless.
OK, but why are we taking this trip down memory lane?
Because of Shedeur Sanders. The Browns, with how they treat him on and off the field, are doing everything they can to minimize his play, which includes his having one of the two best performances by a rookie quarterback in the league in the last 25 years in Sunday’s mismanaged 31-29 loss to the Tennessee Titans, apparently to try to validate the fact they didn’t draft him until the fifth round, and only because owner Jimmy Haslam ordered them to do it, and then stuck him at the end of the depth chart and parsed out first-team reps to him with an eye-dropper. They began playing him only because there was no one else, after the trade of Joe Flacco and a concussion suffered by the “Golden Child,” Dillon Gabriel, the third-rounder they coddle and promote to the extent that you would think that he is the second coming of Otto Graham, Frank Ryan, Bill Nelsen, Sipe and Bernie Kosar, combined.
Rookie QBs with 350 Pass Yards, 3 Pass TD and a Rush TD in a game in the Super Bowl era
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 7, 2025
Joe Burrow
Shedeur Sanders pic.twitter.com/1qWlD2ZfU8
To all the people in decision-making positions on the Browns, especially head coach Kevin Stefanski and General Manager Andrew Berry, back off, swallow your pride and praise Sanders, if not directly because your ego won’t allow it but then in simply so many words, and admit they you may have had him undervalued and that he has been impressive and has opened everyone’s eyes in the organization. Dare to hint that if he keeps playing at this rate, you may have someone who could be your franchise quarterback. It’s OK. As stated, that type of stuff has happened since time began. You’re in great company.
Mistakes are going to happen. The real mistake, though, is not owning up to it. The penalty is professional death.
And think about this, Browns guys, this kid just may save your jobs and he may enable you to take those first-round picks you have in next spring’s draft, eschew selecting a quarterback and instead choose some much-needed offensive linemen.
In an episode of the great TV show, “Happy Days,” 50 years ago, the really cool, James Dean-like character, Fonzie, just could not get himself to say, “I was wrong.”
Please, don’t be like Fonzie.
Steve King
🎁 6. Great Browns Gifts for the Holidays or Birthdays
If you’re shopping for the Browns fan in your life, Amazon makes it easy:
- Browns socks & scarves
- Browns tumblers & drinkware
- Browns baby outfits
- Browns pet accessories (yes, dog jerseys for the Dawg Pound!)
These are inexpensive, fun, and ship fast – perfect for last-minute needs.
👉 Browns gift ideas on Amazon.
Note: We are compensated for purchases made through links on this website at no additional charge to you
