In a world where talent is supposed to rise, sometimes leadership becomes the ceiling.
The Cleveland Browns’ coach, Kevin Stefanski, recently dropped a line loaded with implications: “The QB3 spot is one that we hope we never have to use…but if we do, Shedeur will be ready. And Zappe? He’s just there to make sure we don’t get too complacent.” That is not just a lineup update. That is a thinly veiled power move.
Let’s dig into what is really happening.
The Situation: A Promising QB, Bench-Limited
- Draft Day Drop: Shedeur Sanders, college star, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm winner, big-time hype, plummeted from anticipated first-round pick to No. 144 in the fifth round. The Browns grabbed him, but not with starter intentions.
- Depth Chart Drama: Joe Flacco starts. Dillon Gabriel, a third-round pick, gets second string. Sanders is stuck at emergency QB3. He dresses but only suits up if both QBs ahead are hurt or unavailable.
- Practice Squad Ops: The Browns added veteran Bailey Zappe to the practice squad, an extra arm and pressure valve, even though it does not remove Sanders from game-day eligibility.
- Preseason Performance: Sanders was inconsistent. He drifted in the pocket, read slow, and took five sacks in 11 dropbacks. These are red flags in Stefanski’s precise, timing-based system. Meanwhile Gabriel offered quicker decision-making and structural compliance.
- External Backlash: NFL legends Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson accused the Browns of setting Sanders up to fail. They pointed at coaching decisions, a weak O-line, questionable call choices, and even pulling him mid-drive.
- Internal Defense: Browns legend Joe Thomas pushed back. He insisted there is more nuance, suggesting critics are oversimplifying or idolizing too quickly.
Leadership Takeaways and Ethical Red Flags
1. Leadership as Gatekeeper, Not Grower
When a coach sidelines a high-ceiling performer, despite obvious upside, it raises flags. Is the team protecting ego, narrative, or just risk-averse logic?
2. Development or Deference?
Sanders is “getting better,” Stefanski says, yet Gabriel gets the backup slot despite both being rookies. The organizational investment in Gabriel (higher draft slot) likely outweighs Sanders, regardless of raw ability or potential.
3. The Contract Cage
Shedeur is stuck. Rookie deal, no leverage, no say. His path forward is entirely in the hands of people who have not handed him the shot. This is common, but if you believe in leadership, your job is to make your team flourish, on your team or off it.
4. The Risk of Passive Suppression
Putting down limits quietly, labeling someone “insurance” or “comeback boy,” is harder to fight than a direct benching. But it is just as ethically suspect if it is about maintaining control or suppressing someone’s influence or fan pull.
Have I Felt It? Heck Yes.
Almost everyone who has been in organizations big or small has felt it:
- When your ideas get dismissed before they are heard.
- When someone lower on paper gets favored because they are easier to manage.
- When talent becomes threatening, and talent is sidelined, subtly or otherwise.
That is the ceiling. It is not always about active sabotage. Sometimes it is a leader too anxious to share the stage or an organization unwilling to disrupt its own equilibrium.
Leadership’s Real Test
If you are a leader, your test is simple:
- Can you push others to their best, even if that means eclipsing you?
- Can you foster development with open doors, not just closed off compliance?
- Can you build a culture where even the “third string” feels empowered?
If not, you may not be failing them. You might be failing as a leader.
Final Provocative Thought
Sanders is an urgent test. He is talented, marketable, with a narrative that resonates. The Browns could ride the wave or cap it. So let us ask directly:
- Is this a case of cautious strategy or cold suppression?
- Did they draft him low to minimize expectations?
- Are they afraid of his halo, not his play?
These are leadership questions. If you are reading this, you might feel similarly restrained. You might be right, and the system you are in could very well be the ceiling.
Let’s bust it.
Sources Cited
“Browns legend Joe Thomas offers strong words for Shedeur Sanders ‘cult’ after QB depth chart released.” CBS Sports. Link
“Ridiculous – Shannon Sharpe says Shedeur Sanders sabotaged by Browns as rookie emphatically responds in front of Joe Flacco.” TalkSport. Link
“Browns Shedeur Sanders has to change his playstyle if he wants to be the future QB1.” Dawgs By Nature. Link
“Travis Kelce wants the Browns to start Shedeur Sanders.” New York Post. Link
“Browns reveal where Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel stand on quarterback depth chart.” Sports Illustrated. Link
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About Michael King
Michael King is an award-winning executive coach and the founder of Teams.Coach, Gawker Traffic, and CatalystCo. With two master’s degrees in Leadership and Executive Coaching from Bellevue University, he helps high-performing executives simplify complexity, optimize their leadership, and build teams that actually work.
A certified executive coach, Michael has spent years guiding Fortune 500 leaders, entrepreneurs, and teams through the real work of leadership—creating clarity, building systems, and driving results without the burnout.
When he’s not coaching, Michael is an accomplished singer/songwriter and music producer with over 100 published songs to his credit. He’s also a Ducati aficionado, a die-hard Apple fan, and probably has a Starbucks in his hand right now.
