Emmitt Smith Explodes On The Shedeur Sanders, Browns Situation

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Feb 5, 2026 3:13 PM ET

Former Dallas Cowboys star Emmitt Smith has an awful lot to say about Shedeur Sanders and the Cleveland Browns.

Sanders started seven games for the Browns during the 2025 regular season. The fifth-round pick from Colorado completed 56.6% of his pass attempts for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Some fans thought he wasn't set up for success under head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Well, Sanders will now have the chance to work alongside a new head coach in Todd Monken. During this week's introductory press conference, Monken was asked if Sanders will be his Week 1 starter. He told reporters that he wasn't ready to just hand out the starting job in February.

“That is to be determined,” Monken said. “I am excited to coach all of the quarterbacks in the room this year.”

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) throws a pass in the first quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.© Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

Apparently, those remarks from Monken didn't sit well with Smith. He expressed his frustration with the Browns during an interview with Kay Adams.

"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. No one wants to hand anything to them. This is how they're treating Shedeur. But they handed it [the starting job] to Drake Maye. They also handed it to the kid in Jacksonville [Trevor Lawrence]," Smith said. "What does Cleveland have? Absolutely nothing. So what's the debate? Are you going to give it to Dillon [Gabriel] again?"

While we get what Smith is trying to say, the reality is the Browns only invested a Day 3 pick in Sanders. The quarterbacks he mentioned, Drake Maye and Trevor Lawrence, were top-three picks in their respective drafts.

Emmitt Smith says Shedeur Sanders DESERVES to be named the Browns QB1 heading into the offseason:

"What does Cleveland have? Absolutely nothing. So what's the debate?"@EmmittSmith22 | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/O9kHkNkOyp
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) February 5, 2026

Shedeur isn't lacking confidence.

During an appearance on "Up & Adams" earlier this week, Sanders spoke highly about his rookie season.

"That’s the most thing I appreciate about this year is that I proved to myself, I’m able to dominate the league," Sanders said. "But I’m able to take completions, I’m able to put all of that together, and definitely in games, we have flashes, but I know I’m capable of doing that. Now, to do it on a consistent basis, that’s what the goal is. But for me in this past season, that’s what proved to myself. No matter what happened, no matter anything that transpired, you are able to go out there and compete."

Suffice to say, Sanders won't question his abilities if he enters a quarterback competition this offseason.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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