Shedeur Sanders' 'comfort' is more important than his confidence as he takes Browns' QB1 job

Shedeur Sanders' 'comfort' is more important than his confidence as he takes Browns' QB1 job originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Shedeur Sanders didn’t beat one of the best teams in the league in his debut NFL start, but you can only beat the team put in front of you. And he did it without the comfortability he was used to during his college days.

What he did have during the 24-10 Week 12 win over the Las Vegas Raiders was his patented swagger and confidence. He was launching pinpoint passes downfield on the run that had Myles Garrett aghast, and he was joking around with reporters after the game.

Despite Dillon Gabriel clearing the concussion protocol, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski named Sanders as his new QB1 and starter for Week 13 and beyond.

Some crotchety old pundits of course complained about Sanders’ quotes. There was one where he was saying something along the lines of, "Imagine what I could do with more than one week of practice." In another, he said he knows a lot of people want to see him fail but that it “ain’t gonna happen."

Hardly the most cheeky or cocky things a young NFL star QB has ever said. And of course, those were just cherry-picked because of the narrative around the 23-year-old.

A full listen to Sanders’ post-game remarks at the podium paints a picture of a very well-adjusted and humble young football player. As Sanders admitted, he’s “definitely not comfortable” in the offense yet.

“I'm definitely not comfortable though, so that's first and foremost that I have another opportunity to go out there. But in life, you got to understand how quickly things come or how long it comes, it could be taken at any point in time.”

And Sanders doesn’t anticipate ever becoming fully comfortable. Because if he ever was, then that would lead to complacency. And the scion of the Sanders clan always wants to continue improving.

“So I'm never comfortable in a situation I'm in. I always want to exceed expectations, and I always want to grow in each and every week, I would want to put a better product of myself, be a better version of myself for the team to be out there.”

It’s a very mature and very encouraging mentality for a young QB that’s dealing with the pressures of fame as much as football.

More comfort means better play from Shedeur Sanders

But for those worried about Sanders’ play through his first few games in the NFL, fear not. More time with the playbook and his teammates means more familiarity and a better understanding of those things. And that means more comfort for Sanders in the offense overall.

“Day by day, minute by minute, meeting by meeting, of course. I'm getting a little bit more comfortable and comfortable in being in that role, being in that position. They're getting more comfortable with me, also. So I'm excited, I'm happy for it and I'm just thankful.”

While most media outlets try to paint a picture of an overconfident and immature young man, listening to Sanders speak shows just how ready for this moment he really is.

Comfortability over confidence is certainly not a message most would be expecting from the Shedeur Sanders they’ve conjured up in their minds. But that’s what the kid is all about.

We’ll see how much more comfortable Sanders is when his 3-8 Browns host the 8-4 San Francisco 49ers in Week 13.