Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders may not be going anywhere anytime soon, but that has not stopped the Atlanta Falcons talk from gaining steam. Former NFL running back LeSean McCoy added fuel to the idea, arguing that Sanders’ star power and presence could create a reaction in Atlanta that the city has not seen at quarterback since Michael Vick.
“If Shedeur go down there to Atlanta, they won’t have nothing like that since Michael Vick,” McCoy said on the Speakeasy podcast. “Because Shedeur, real talk, Shedeur has that type of presence.”
McCoy was discussing the attention Sanders could bring to Atlanta. Emmanuel Acho went further, predicting Sanders could become a major commercial draw for the Falcons.
“Would probably break the jersey sale record,” Acho said.
There is precedent for that kind of commercial pull in Atlanta. Michael Vick had the NFL’s No. 3-selling jersey on NFLShop.com in 2002, and by 2003, he had climbed to No. 1.
That is why the Michael Vick comparison matters in Atlanta. Vick became one of the NFL’s biggest stars during his six seasons with the Falcons from 2001 to 2006.
The hosts believe Sanders could create similar buzz, with Atlanta’s sports and entertainment culture bringing packed crowds, celebrity attention, and huge interest if he ever became the Falcons’ quarterback.
Sanders already had star power before entering the NFL. His father, Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, coached him from high school through college, first as his offensive coordinator and later as his head coach at Jackson State and Colorado. Shedeur also built his own résumé, winning the 2021 Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in FCS football after throwing for 2,971 yards and 28 touchdowns in the regular season.
But Sanders’ current reality is in Cleveland. As a rookie in 2025, he played eight games and finished with 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while completing 56.6% of his passes.
The Browns spent the offseason evaluating Sanders alongside veteran Deshaun Watson. In two preseason games, Watson went 16-of-27 for 162 yards, no touchdowns and one interception, while Sanders threw one touchdown and two interceptions on nearly identical yardage.
Still, on August 24, head coach Todd Monken named Watson the Week 1 starter, leaving Sanders as the backup.
For now, Sanders remains with the Browns, who traded up to select him 144th overall in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. There is no indication Atlanta is trying to acquire him, but McCoy’s comments show why the idea would create so much attention.
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The post “Nothing Like That Since Michael Vick”: Shedeur Sanders Lands Massive Praise From NFL Legend Amid Falcons Rumors appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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