One former NFL player used sarcasm to refute a conspiracy theory that revolves around Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders struggled mightily Saturday in the Browns’ preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio. The rookie quarterback went 3/6 for 14 yards during his time on the field. He also got sacked 5 times. It got so bad that Sanders was pulled for what ended up being Cleveland’s game-winning drive.
Some Shedeur supporters have floated the conspiracy theory that the Browns are purposely making Sanders look bad to justify cutting him later on. According to the bizarre notion being spread online, Browns offensive linemen are being instructed to block worse on purpose when Sanders is on the field.
Retired NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz responded to one fan peddling the theory. Schwartz tried to illustrate just how absurd such a theory sounded to someone who’s actually been in the trenches at an NFL level.
“I remember being a young offensive lineman fighting for a job,” Schwartz wrote. “My OL coach came up to me and said ‘Hey Schwartz you need to block worse when Smith is playing quarterback so he looks bad’ … totally normal conspiracy that happens all the time.”
I remember being a young offensive lineman fighting for a job. My OL coach came up to me and said "Hey Schwartz you need to block worse when Smith is playing quarterback so he looks bad" … totally normal conspiracy that happens all the time https://t.co/vUYv1OwAHb
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) August 24, 2025
Another former NFL offensive lineman, George Foster, got in on the gag as well, jokingly calling such practices the “standard” practice among NFL rosters.
You know that’s the standard lol
— FOST (@GeorgeFoster72) August 24, 2025
Schwartz chalked it all up to poor O-line play from backups rather than any elaborate scheme to tarnish Sanders’ reputation.
The Browns rookie QB also tends to hold onto the ball for far too long when he’d be better served throwing it away. It’s been a knock against him since his college days, and the bad habit has evidently followed him to the NFL.
According to PFF, Sanders’ 3.96-second average time to throw was the slowest among all 105 qualified NFL quarterbacks this preseason.
