Emmitt Smith is, by all means, an authorized voice to talk about all things football. As a three-time Super Bowl champion and the league's all-time leader in rushing yards and touchdowns, the Hall of Famer clearly knows more about the game than most people.
That's why he felt compelled to share his thoughts on Shedeur Sanders' situation with the Cleveland Browns. In a recent appearance on the Up & Adams show, the Dallas Cowboys legend put the Browns on blast for not giving him the keys to the offense:
“What does Cleveland have? Absolutely nothing,” Smith told sportscaster Kay Adams. “So what's the debate? “ haven't seen anyone else earn the right to be [the starter] but him. And he hasn't played enough, and they haven't given him enough chances to be on the football field. And when he's on the football field, [players] feel better. They look better. ... The team believes differently [with him on the field]. His energy is different.”
Emmitt Smith's ties to Shedeur Sanders are impossible to ignore
Smith may or may not have a valid argument here, but that's beyond the point.
He was teammates with Deion Sanders for five seasons, helping the Dallas Cowboys stay atop the league as a dominant force. So, perhaps he's not the most objective person to share his thoughts on this particular matter.
Sanders' rookie season was a mixed bag, but to put that on the Browns is inaccurate and unfair. Granted, his offensive line and wide receiver corps weren't good at all, but the narrative about the team setting him up for failure is tiresome and doesn't make much sense.
If anything, the Browns would benefit the most from Shedeur being good. His larger-than-life persona and NFL pedigree made him a rock star long before he arrived in Cleveland, and having him in MVP conversations would only drive the team's value up by hundreds of millions. From jersey sales to sold-out seats, the league as a whole would thrive even more if Sanders turned out to be good.
This is the most competitive tournament in pro sports. There's no world in which any team, not even the worst-run team, would purposely tank a pick just to make an example out of another millionaire.
Sanders has a prime opportunity to take the reins of the offense and be the quarterback for years to come. That doesn't mean the team has to hand it out to him. Great players make it impossible for coaches to look the other way, and he has to earn his stripes, just like everybody else.