

Shedeur Sanders, once seen as a promising developmental talent with franchise potential, now faces his first major off-field challenge – an incident that could cast doubt over his professionalism after being pulled over for speeding.
The Cleveland Browns‘ rookie quarterback was stopped in the early hours of Tuesday, June 17 and was cited for driving at an alleged speed of 101 miles per hour in a 60-mph zone on Interstate 71 in Strongsville, Ohio.
The 2025 fifth-round pick was behind the wheel of a black Ram 1500 TRX pickup when he was stopped by police around 12:24 a.m and according to the report, the offense constitutes a fourth-degree misdemeanor.
Bodycam footage of the stop, released by WKYC 3 (NBC’s Cleveland-area affiliate), confirms the details of the offense, which is common according to Strongsville police records and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
In 2024 alone, over 83,000 motorists were cited for exceeding speed limits by more than 20 mph, with more than 3,700 cases involving speeds over 100 mph.
The 23-year-old football player has two options: pay a $250 fine or appear in person to contest the charge at Strongsville Mayor’s Court on July 3. As of now, the Browns organization has not issued an official statement in response.
While Sanders‘ offense is statistically not unique, its implications for an NFL rookie are far more serious, and could be particularly damaging given Sanders’ pre-draft narrative regarding his commitment to his career as critics pointed to his perceived character concerns as a red flag.
Although Sanders took early steps to challenge that view – including community engagement efforts such as a visit to John Marshall High School in Cleveland, where he urged students to “make good decisions and to listen to their parents”, his recent conduct undercuts that progress.
Could Sanders lose shot at starting spot?
Compounding matters, Sanders‘ future in Cleveland is already uncertain due to the franchise’s longer-term quarterback plans, although it’s believed he will get a run at the starting spot at some stage.
Concern for the youngster and Dillon Gabriel is that the Browns are reportedly eyeing the 2026 NFL Draft – widely expected to be loaded with elite quarterback prospects such as the Texas Longhorns’ Arch Manning.
“They have two first-round picks now in the 2026 draft as a result of trading with Jacksonville,” said Grossi, referencing the Jaguars’ trading up to land Travis Hunter. “It’s going to be an epic quarterback draft.
“Probably the future quarterback is in next year’s draft, to be honest with you.”
If both the Browns and Jaguars underperform in 2025, Cleveland could hold multiple top-10 picks, giving them the capital to move up for a franchise-changing signal-caller that could displace Sanders and Gabriel.
Currently, Grossi places Shedeur fourth on the depth chart behind Joe Flacco, who is expected to start Week 1, Kenny Pickett, and Gabriel as the the presence of multiple QBs and the franchise’s future-focused strategy make his path difficult.
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