Shedeur Sanders can’t hide his frustration as video catches Browns fans’ attention
One camera shot of Shedeur Sanders on the bench had Browns fans buzzing. While Deshaun Watson thrived again, Sanders' wait for another chance became the talk of social media.
A single shot of Shedeur Sanders on the Cleveland Browns' bench was enough for several fans to conclude that his patience as a backup may be running out.
Sanders drew attention during Thursday night's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers , when viewers analyzed his expression from the bench. While Deshaun Watson solidified his hold on the starting job with another solid performance, the second-year quarterback's wait for another opportunity became a topic of conversation on social media.
Users online commented that Shedeur Sanders did not look happy at all, and even looked miserable on the bench at the moment he was shown on national television.
Some even went as far as to suggest that he should ask to leave the team and that the Browns should use him as a trade chip.
However, a facial expression alone doesn't tell us how Sanders feels about his role or whether he wants to leave the Browns . What is clear is that his path to the field is much more complicated now than it was a few weeks ago.
Deshaun Watson strengthens his hold on the starting job
The attention on Sanders came as Watson continued to give Cleveland reasons to trust him. The Browns entered Thursday's game at 2-1, following consecutive wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers . Head coach Todd Monken kept Watson as the starter after those victories and left Sanders as the top backup.
Watson responded with a strong first half against Pittsburgh: he completed 14 of 17 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown, with a 130.6 rating, and Cleveland went into halftime up 21-10. The Browns scored touchdowns on three straight drives in the second quarter.
With that, Watson had already surpassed his passing total from the previous week, when he threw for 144 yards and two touchdowns against Carolina, including the game-winning pass to Harold Fannin Jr. in the 21-18 win.
In that game, Sanders made a brief appearance after Watson took a hit: he completed his only pass, for no yards, before the veteran returned to the field.
