SI.com's Breer: An honest discussion about Shedeur Sanders

[ArizonaViking]

A report from CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones over the weekend has shed new light on Sanders's draft fall. In his report, Jones stated that the 23-year-old may have deliberately done poorly in his pre-draft interviews at the combine to avoid getting picked by certain NFL teams.

"At some of those [combine] meetings with certain teams that maybe Shedeur Sanders didn't really want to go to, didn't see himself going to for any number of reasons, maybe they had a starting quarterback installed there—I was told that he more or less sandbagged in those interviews. I don't know if he didn't take them seriously, what it was, but he did not give it his all in some of those interviews. Rubbed some teams the wrong way," Jones said on Saturday.

Jones's report suggests that Sanders, who was repeatedly passed on by the Giants, Raiders and Steelers, miscalculated his own stock and perhaps had the wrong mindset going into draft. The report draws parallels to the Sanders controversy a year ago when Sanders's dad Deion publicly stated that he didn't want his son playing for certain teams.

"I know where I want them to go," Deion said, referring to Shedeur and Shilo on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast in March 2024. "There's certain cities where it ain't going to happen... It's going to be an Eli (Manning). We ain't doing that."

https://www.si.com/nfl/report-shedeur-sa...didnt-like

It's almost like Deion is trying to relive his playing days by proxy...which looks like it's screwing up his kids future.

[medaille]

I'm not above a good conspiracy. I could be persuaded that the league colluded against him and sent him to one of the shithole teams he hated as a means of sending a message that we're not allowing draft picks to pick where they go. It's what I would do if I were them and they already do a bunch of suspect stuff that many perceive as a conspiracy, like rigging games, BFlo and Kaep being blacklisted.

That said, I don't know how you can prove that or if there's any evidence beyond "He's just so good, the only explanation is foul play" when the other option of "He's mentally a trainwreck with not great tools and he pissed off all the teams that needed a QB and the other ones don't want the circus coming with the backup QB spot" is also very viable.

[JustInTime]

lol, yeah I also heard about the personal Zoom call he took during a NFL interview. Mind blowing.

Speaking of Zoom calls. I’ve had exactly ONE interview since the end of the year. This was with a regional energy company. I’d be speaking with a director level manager and if that went well two other managers/directors later if I made it past the first round. 

I’ve been doing Zoom/phone call interviews for about 10 years so I’m pretty comfortable with the process. I always check with the recruiter to confirm dress code, get the interviewers LinkedIn profile, do my due diligence on the company, yada yada yada. 

Call into Zoom 5 minutes early. Scheduled time comes and goes. This is not outside the norm so I wait for 5 minutes and then text the recruiter. Turns out the invite was CT not ET, so I’m an hour early. No biggie.

Hour later I’m on the phone. Standard questions, my standard answers things all look good. The interviewer was kind of stumbling over her questions, was distracted at one point by an incoming call from her boss, and wasn’t really able to answer my questions but some people are just uncomfortable interviewing. 

Following morning I hear from the recruiter. She thought you were a very knowledgeable candidate answered all her questions thoroughly etc etc but she didn’t seem to think I took the process seriously because I used a phone for the interview and not a laptop.

I haven’t owned a laptop for about 10 years because each contract I’ve ever had provided one. I’ve interviewed on a cell phone for Price Waterhouse, GE, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and a few other Fortune 100 companies and landed jobs, but this was a non-starter for a regional energy company. 

The funniest part of this? The woman I was interviewing with was wearing a sweatshirt and looked like her hair hadn’t seen a comb in 3 weeks. 

But I didn’t take the interview serious enough. 

[StickierBuns]

Speaking of Zoom calls. I’ve had exactly ONE interview since the end of the year. This was with a regional energy company. I’d be speaking with a director level manager and if that went well two other managers/directors later if I made it past the first round. 

I’ve been doing Zoom/phone call interviews for about 10 years so I’m pretty comfortable with the process. I always check with the recruiter to confirm dress code, get the interviewers LinkedIn profile, do my due diligence on the company, yada yada yada. 

Call into Zoom 5 minutes early. Scheduled time comes and goes. This is not outside the norm so I wait for 5 minutes and then text the recruiter. Turns out the invite was CT not ET, so I’m an hour early. No biggie.

Hour later I’m on the phone. Standard questions, my standard answers things all look good. The interviewer was kind of stumbling over her questions, was distracted at one point by an incoming call from her boss, and wasn’t really able to answer my questions but some people are just uncomfortable interviewing. 

Following morning I hear from the recruiter. She thought you were a very knowledgeable candidate answered all her questions thoroughly etc etc but she didn’t seem to think I took the process seriously because I used a phone for the interview and not a laptop.

I haven’t owned a laptop for about 10 years because each contract I’ve ever had provided one. I’ve interviewed on a cell phone for Price Waterhouse, GE, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and a few other Fortune 100 companies and landed jobs, but this was a non-starter for a regional energy company. 

The funniest part of this? The woman I was interviewing with was wearing a sweatshirt and looked like her hair hadn’t seen a comb in 3 weeks. 

But I didn’t take the interview serious enough. 

Corporate America and HR departments have lost their minds. SO glad that shit is behind me. Its non-sensical, counter productive micro managing horseshit. Hang in there, man.

[JustInTime]

Corporate America and HR departments have lost their minds. SO glad that shit is behind me. Its non-sensical, counter productive micro managing horseshit. Hang in there, man.

Oh my god. This is almost verbatim to what I stated in my follow up email to the woman and recruiter. I think my exact words were shortsighted and non-sensical! Seriously, you’re obviously qualified but next time interview on a laptop? Fuck aaallll the way off. 

I’m still living on my last two months of paychecks and what I’m bringing in via Uber. Not ideal but I haven’t touched any savings or retirement savings so it’s not bad. 

Fiancé is going to the UK for two weeks with her sister (her sister is a travel agent so we are literally spending about 20 on the dollar) so we’re in pretty good shape. I just need to keep myself busy. 

Maybe I could endlessly debate the merits of what the Vikings are doing?

Naw

---

Good morning

I received your feedback and would like to answer your concerns.

Yes, I was on a phone. I haven’t owned a laptop for over a decade. A laptop has always been assigned to me for every contract I’ve had over the past 15 years, so I felt no need to own one. If being on a suitable device to conduct a Team meeting had been brought to my attention ahead of time I would have made proper arrangements.

As far as appearing to be in an “open space” I was in my sunroom. This has not been an issue for any of the firms I’ve worked for since the pandemic. I’m not sure how this is germane to a remote position in the first place.

If I had know that these prerequisites to going forward with my candidacy were critical I would have addressed them prior to our call. As nothing of the sort has been brought to my attention previously I did not address them nor did they cross my mind.

In conclusion, being passed over for easily corrected issues appears at best to be shortsighted and nonsensical. If I wasn’t qualified I could understand your decision.

Sincerely

You might think “man, he sounds condescending” And yes, I realize the tone. It was, rest assured, on purpose and definitely deserved.

[MaroonBells]

Speaking of Zoom calls. I’ve had exactly ONE interview since the end of the year. This was with a regional energy company. I’d be speaking with a director level manager and if that went well two other managers/directors later if I made it past the first round. 

I’ve been doing Zoom/phone call interviews for about 10 years so I’m pretty comfortable with the process. I always check with the recruiter to confirm dress code, get the interviewers LinkedIn profile, do my due diligence on the company, yada yada yada. 

Call into Zoom 5 minutes early. Scheduled time comes and goes. This is not outside the norm so I wait for 5 minutes and then text the recruiter. Turns out the invite was CT not ET, so I’m an hour early. No biggie.

Hour later I’m on the phone. Standard questions, my standard answers things all look good. The interviewer was kind of stumbling over her questions, was distracted at one point by an incoming call from her boss, and wasn’t really able to answer my questions but some people are just uncomfortable interviewing. 

Following morning I hear from the recruiter. She thought you were a very knowledgeable candidate answered all her questions thoroughly etc etc but she didn’t seem to think I took the process seriously because I used a phone for the interview and not a laptop.

I haven’t owned a laptop for about 10 years because each contract I’ve ever had provided one. I’ve interviewed on a cell phone for Price Waterhouse, GE, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and a few other Fortune 100 companies and landed jobs, but this was a non-starter for a regional energy company. 

The funniest part of this? The woman I was interviewing with was wearing a sweatshirt and looked like her hair hadn’t seen a comb in 3 weeks. 

But I didn’t take the interview serious enough. 

I think I may have told you this already but I have a good friend in Boston who is a senior level creative. His work is genius. At one point he was making $230K and was considered one of the top creatives in the New England area. He's been out of work for 18 months now. His biggest problem? He's about 50 and the people who interview him are typically in their 30s. What are they looking for? Experienced thought leaders? Proven innovators? Nope. Influencers! Gen Z'ers who do the Youtube and the Tik Tok thingy and will be happy with a third the salary. 

Personally, I use my phone for only one thing: talking. I don't use it to read or post on this board or twitter or surf the internet or even text. If I get a text when I'm out, I'll wait until home to respond on my laptop. But I'm funny like that. My kids do everything on their phones. Zooms, interviews, applications, training. I couldn't possibly. Thumbs are too big. But that this scary hair girl wrote you off because you were using your phone is unfair, stupid and woefully behind the times.

[ArizonaViking]

I've been passed over for a promotion by a younger guy. Ironic is that I trained him when he started and is still learning because he's only been with the company for a little over a year. I've got 18 years with the company and I know it's because I'm 65 yrs. old and on the verge of retirement at any time and the company won't invest time and money into a older guy regardless of experience, so they selected the young buck.
I plan on retiring in July anyways...I've got two retirements and social security, so I'll be just fine.

[Canthony]

Some people have the audacity to question why they are unemployed lol. It must be agonizing to be that oblivious.

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I've been passed over for a promotion by a younger guy.  Ironic is that I trained him when he started and is still learning because he's only been with the company for a little over a year.  I've got  18 years with the company and I know it's because I'm 65 yrs. old and on the verge of retirement at any time and the company won't invest time and money into a older guy regardless of experience, so they selected the young buck.
I plan on retiring in July anyways...I've got two retirements and social security, so I'll be just fine.

That is great you thought ahead. That will be many of these younger folks' issues in the years to come.

[StickierBuns]

All this media created angst for a guy that will never start in the NFL. Kiper went on his old man rant that the NFL doesnt know how to pick QBs....really? Overwhelmingly, 1st round draft picks are starting NFL QBs. In a huge way. Jalen Hurts was a 2nd rounder. Go down each NFL team's roster this season and see who's starting and they are 1st round draft picks by the vast majority. Cowherd hit on this today and I agree. Are there 1st round QB busts?? We all know there are. Its not an exact science. But you need blue chip talent to succeed at QB in the NFL. Yes, I know....Brock Purdy. Not saying there aren't exceptions but they are very, very limited.

[JustInTime]

Some people have the audacity to question why they are unemployed lol. It must be agonizing to be that oblivious.

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That is great you thought ahead. That will be many of these younger folks' issues in the years to come.

“Ask your doctor if extra strength butthurt is right for you”

Lol.

Seriously, it’s a shame you don’t have any real friends on this board to let you know how stupid and utterly foolish you make yourself look. 

Sad