Browns' Poker Faces Go Viral After Drafting Shedeur Sanders Amid Stunning Slide

The Cleveland Browns made headlines by selecting Shedeur Sanders after his unexpected, dramatic slide in the NFL Draft. But if you thought the Browns' front office would be popping confetti cannons over the pick, think again. Social media lit up after a video surfaced of head coach Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry reacting to the Sanders pick with the kind of enthusiasm you’d expect from someone reviewing tax forms: a couple of weak golf claps and faces that could win a poker tournament.

Berry, in particular, seemed to be trying out for the role of 'most unimpressed GM'—slouching and half-frowning as if someone just told him the coffee maker was broken.

The internet did what it does best: speculate wildly. Fans questioned the team's excitement—or lack thereof—with one observer joking, "They look thrilled. Did someone force their hand?" Another went so far as to say the reaction was more disrespectful than not drafting Sanders at all, raising concerns about whether the leadership would actually support him.

Some even posited a conspiracy theory, calling it a "reaction of shame" and suggesting the Browns were embarrassed to be caught up in alleged NFL collusion. When your draft pick causes this much drama before even putting on a helmet, you know it's a wild offseason.

At a press conference, both Stefanski and Berry tried to set the record straight. Berry admitted, "It wasn't necessarily the plan going into the weekend to select two quarterbacks," referencing their earlier pick of Dillon Gabriel, "but we do believe in best player available." He added that Sanders being available in the fifth round was too good to pass up, and the team values competition at every position.

Berry shared that the Browns started seriously considering Sanders as the third day of the draft unfolded and more names came off the board. "As we saw how we were positioned, we just felt like the value was there," he said. As for those rumors about Sanders interviewing poorly with other NFL teams, Berry said their own interview with him was "positive."

Adding to the intrigue is the history between the Browns and Shedeur's father, Deion Sanders, who once warned that no young quarterback should want to play for Cleveland—he even suggested they should pull an Eli Manning and refuse, if possible. However, Deion was quick to shoot down any idea his son wouldn't play for the Browns, calling such speculation a lie and wishing rumor-mongers well (with a little side of shade).

Regardless of how things started, the Browns have Sanders on their roster. Now, all eyes are on Cleveland to see whether the real drama happens on the field—or stays in the war room.