The landscape in sports today is much different from what it was 20 years ago, even 10 years ago.
In the early to late 2000s, there was no social media for players to post on, no podcasts for them to speak about the current state of their sport, and certainly not any NIL deals to speak of.
The media and the NIL landscape have changed a lot of what sports are and what they represent in the present day, which has led to a sense of entitlement from some athletes.
Several examples exist of players wanting to get more money in the NFL than what they were getting at the collegiate level, only to have their skills fall flat in the next league and lose out on millions of dollars.
Shedeur Sanders lost out on tens of millions of dollars by falling to the fifth round, potentially because he rested on his laurels, or thought he had it in the bag and phoned it in during some of his interviews.
The exact reasoning why he fell in the draft board hasn’t been revealed, but there have been plenty of rumors and reports that indicate that there’s more than meets the eye.
With that in mind, Cam Newton issued something of a PSA to Sanders as he enters the league, wanting to make sure his head is on straight.
“It’s time to lead with work, not clout,” Newton said.
“It’s time to lead with WORK, not clout!” Shedeur Sanders just got his wake-up call…🗣🔥@CameronNewton‘s Hot Take of the Week out now!
📺: https://t.co/DmumsFwQ0e pic.twitter.com/8cCtrfTsGs
— 4th&1 with Cam Newton (@4thand1show) April 30, 2025
Sanders has played for his father for the past few years, but the NFL is an entirely different animal.
He should get a fair shot at becoming the Cleveland Browns’ newest starting quarterback, but he’ll have to work diligently to make it happen.
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