Emmitt Smith is drawing fire for his latest quarterback take. The former Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame running back claimed rookie Shedeur Sanders is more 'cerebral' than Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. That controversial comparison sparked immediate debate among fans.

During an appearance on the 105.3 THE FAN show, Emmitt Smith noted that the Cleveland Browns quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, brings a unique edge over Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, making him stand out. Fans all over don't seem to agree, though.

“Josh Allen is a very good quarterback. So is Lamar Jackson, Shedeur will become a very, very good QB because he is more cerebral," he said.

Smith has seen Sanders develop since he was a little kid, and was confident that the young Browns shot-caller possesses something that sets him apart from the 2023 and 2024 MVP winners.

"He doesn’t have some of the athletic talent that Josh may have in terms of legs," Smith continued. "Those kinds of things that Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen may have, but he has other things that he relies on. He has other things. That in itself separates him from some of those”

Over 50 games played during his college career, Sanders completed 1,263 of 1,803 passes (70.1%) for 14,327 yards, 134 touchdowns, and just 27 interceptions.

His final 2024 season at Colorado was especially his best, recording 4,134 yards, 37 TDs, and a 74.0% completion rate.

Regardless of that production, Sanders’ draft stock dipped during the pre-draft process. Reports suggested that some teams were wary of his perceived confidence during combine interviews, often labeled as “arrogance,” which contributed to his unexpected slide on draft night.

Despite those pre-draft concerns, Sanders went on to post a 3–4 record for the Cleveland Browns, throwing for 1,400 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in seven starts with a glaring 56.6% completion rate.

Sanders has also faced criticism for inconsistent pocket presence since his college days. Despite throwing just 27 interceptions across four seasons in college, he was also sacked over 94 times in Colorado.

The debate centers on Sanders' future potential versus the proven track records of Allen and Jackson.

While Emmitt Smith strongly believes Shedeur Sanders is being underutilized, fans have pushed back, voicing criticism over his bold comparisons to established elite quarterbacks.

Fans Divided After Emmitt Smith Backs Shedeur Sanders

While Shedeur Sanders has shown accuracy and poise, he lacks the proven NFL success of Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, both of whom have delivered MVP-level performances (with Lamar Jackson winning MVP twice, in 2019 and 2023) and playoff consistency.

“I love Shedeur but better than Lamar and Allen?" one fan asked.

Lamar Jackson reached the playoffs, and Josh Allen had 10 TDs as rookies, while Shedeur Sanders recorded 7 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

A minority of fans, however, conceded Smith had a point about pocket presence.

“I fw Shedeur but stop it bro let the bro live don’t compare him to a MVP and 2 time MVP just setting him up for failure,” another fan said.

One netizen didn’t hold back, calling out Emmitt Smith for what they saw as blatant favoritism toward Shedeur Sanders.

“This might be the most Delusionally biased thing I've ever heard lol. F****** bat S*** insane," the comment read.

Some fans, however, backed the argument by emphasizing traditional pocket play.

“The QB position in the NFL is played from the pocket. Tom Brady was the worst athlete ever at the position but he got it done when it mattered. Jackson and Allen fail in the playoffs because they can’t get it done from the pocket when needed. I agree Shedeur will surpass them!!” one commenter noted. 

Another fan agreed on the pocket play comment.

“People don’t realize…. The most athletic QB don’t win like that. You have to win it from the pocket with the ability to use athleticism when needed. Not the other way around,” the user said.

While Shedeur Sanders did eventually win Pro Bowl honors in his first season (unlike Allen or Jackson), it was still his rookie season. It will be interesting to see how Sanders develops for Cleveland from here on compared to the success the two-MVP winners had in their later years.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote