Colorado Buffaloes legend Shedeur Sanders questioned if midnight Instagram post was just for show to impress Browns

Shedeur Sanders is no stranger to the spotlight — and once again, he's found himself right in the middle of it.

The Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback made headlines this month for not one but two viral workout clips. The first showed him throwing in the middle of a heavy Miami rainstorm, drawing praise for his willingness to train through tough conditions. The second, though, was even more eye-catching — a video of Sanders throwing passes at 12:18 a.m. in Dallas.

While some saw it as a testament to his dedication, not everyone was sold. Fox Sports’ Henry McKenna, who has expressed doubts about Sanders’ long-term future in Cleveland, questioned the purpose behind the late-night session — and whether it was more performance than productivity.

It’s one piece of the Sanders puzzle, which includes — according to an Instagram post from last week — the QB working out at 12:18 a.m. in Dallas. The skeptic in me wonders what he’s doing working out at that hour. Practically speaking, what does he gain from a midnight workout? The optimist in me thinks that night games might keep him up that late — if there’s overtime. So maybe that’s why he’s burning the midnight oil. (But the skeptic would also note that the Browns’ latest kickoff is 4:25 p.m. ET this year. So there's no night game on the immediate calendar.)

These videos show a certain side of Sanders: the grinder.

It’s also a performance. He wants everyone to know he’s a grinder. And that’s fine. He can be the Browns’ hardest worker — and also the team’s biggest personality with the biggest spotlight. But that requires something that smells, tastes, feels and looks like perfection.

That’s not yet what Sanders has delivered.

- Henry McKenna, Fox Sports

McKenna was alluding to Sanders’ recent off-field issues — namely, two speeding tickets in June, one for driving 91 mph and another for hitting 100 mph just weeks later. It wasn’t just a matter of repeating a mistake — the second incident was worse. For a quarterback trying to prove himself in a tightly contested room, it only adds more questions about maturity and decision-making.

McKenna warned that even if Sanders somehow beat out veterans like Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel, he still wouldn’t be guaranteed a future in Cleveland. He pointed to the team’s shaky offensive line, uncertain coaching situation, and the 2026 draft as potential reasons why the Browns could quickly pivot at quarterback.

Former Fox Sports analyst Emmanuel Acho also didn’t mince words when he called Sanders a “camp body,” suggesting his presence was more about filling out the roster than actual opportunity.

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In a crowded quarterback room, Sanders will need more than viral workouts and late-night grind sessions to earn his place. The rookie already has a spotlight — now he has to prove he’s worth watching when it counts.