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Colorado honored Shedeur Sanders by retiring his jersey number: #2. That symbolic move cemented Sanders' legacy in Boulder, but now, the very number that became synonymous with his college identity is at the heart of a fresh controversy in the NFL.
The jersey number saga has unfolded with the Cleveland Browns, who selected Sanders in the fifth round (No. 144 overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Despite the modest draft spot, Sanders' arrival in the league generated outsized media attention. It's not just his dual-threat play style or the fact that he was once considered a potential top-10 pick.
It's the persona, the name, and the branding-all interwoven with the number 2. So when the Browns gave #2 to wide receiver DeAndre Carter, it wasn't just a jersey decision for Sanders' camp - it was personal
The agent fires back, but Shedeur shrugs it off
Hellion "Boog" Knight, head of operations for Young Money APAA Sports and a close member of Shedeur's inner circle, wasn't shy about his feelings. In a since-deleted Instagram story, Knight criticized the Browns' choice.
"There's no way Cleveland Browns should've gave #2 to anyone else. Especially to a WR who [hasn't] worn #2 before in his career. But we knew that was coming, so we ain't flinching about it. It was expected. Take it, smile, then MAKE IT LEGENDARY! KEEP GOING," Knight wrote.
DeAndre Carter, now wearing the #2 in Cleveland, is a journeyman receiver who has donned seven different jersey numbers across six NFL teams. To some, this added salt to the wound, especially when Carter had no established link to the number.
Still, it wasn't Sanders who was bothered. On 850 ESPN Cleveland, Knight shared the quarterback's reaction to the entire debate.
"Man, give me number 99. I just want to play ball," Sanders reportedly told him.
That mindset drew praise, especially considering the media spectacle that tends to follow the Sanders family.
Shedeur's focus seems to be exactly where it should be: on football, not fashion. In fact, his new jersey number-#12-comes with its own legacy.
Worn by Tom Brady, Sanders' mentor and the greatest quarterback of all time, the number offers symbolic reassurance.
And in another twist, #12 is the same number his Colorado teammate and fellow draftee Travis Hunter wears.