Outta Pocket with RG3

Episode: Shedeur Sander's Draft Day fall isn't about talent, its PERSONAL...
Date: April 26, 2025
Hosts: Robert Griffin III (RG3) & Grete Griffin

Episode Overview

This emergency podcast dives deeply into Shedeur Sanders’ unexpected slide in the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite being projected as a first-round pick, Shedeur hasn’t been drafted after three rounds—a development RG3 and Grete believe has little to do with on-field talent. The discussion centers on why Shedeur is being overlooked, exploring themes of personal bias, confidence vs. arrogance, race, media narratives, and the impact of involved fatherhood in professional sports.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Shock of Shedeur’s Draft Slide

• Five quarterbacks have been taken ahead of Shedeur Sanders, who was widely expected to be a top pick (00:33).
• RG3 sets the stage: “Shadir Sanders should not have dropped out of the first three rounds of the NFL draft. He dropped out of the first three rounds NFL draft because it's 100 percent personal.” (01:05)

2. Comparisons to Past Quarterbacks and Double Standards

• RG3 lists QBs with ‘bravado’—Joe Burrow, Baker Mayfield, Cam Newton, Kyler Murray, and more—who were celebrated for their confidence and still drafted high.
• Notably: “None of them were punished in the way that he's been punished.” (01:08)
• RG3 references examples like Eli Manning refusing to play for San Diego and not being penalized, contrasting with Shedeur’s treatment.

3. Jealousy and the Role of Personal Bias

• RG3 insists Shedeur’s fall is “about jealousy. It's personal. Deion Sanders… is prepared for this moment… Shadir Sanders should have been drafted.” (03:12)
• Cites the Saints drafting Tyler Shough—a less logical pick by age and scheme fit—to illustrate teams’ questionable choices.

4. Debunking Criticisms Against Shedeur

• On Confidence:
  “There's this unique mindset that quarterbacks have that we all believe we are the guy, because only one of us plays... If you walk in a room, you walk on the field and you say to yourself, yep, I'm a backup, you're already out the league.” (09:13)
• On Loving Football:
  Shedeur’s love for football is questioned simply because he’s earned NIL money:
  “The idea that they don't love the game of football because they can make money in college now is blasphemy.” (14:33)
• On Character and Toughness:
  “No injury concerns. The man took a beating in college, got sacked over a hundred times, over 100 times at two different universities. Zero injury concern. Character. What character?” (15:08)
• Travis Hunter, who shared the same journey, was not punished—inconsistent standards exposed.

5. NFL Draft Motives: Business, Not Merit

• “The NFL draft is not about how great you are as a player... they're trying to figure out how low can we draft this guy and get away with it.” (18:55)
• On Shedeur’s adaptability: “He had six different offensive coordinators in college across two universities in four years… adapted to change better than any quarterback in the country.” (20:48)

6. The Role of Media and Narrative

• Grete emphasizes media’s outsized influence on perception:
  “The media can paint the narrative of you so quickly that people run with that. You don't even have the chance to prove who you really are.” (27:35)
• She urges listeners to watch their prior interview to see the real Shedeur, not the one constructed by media hot takes.

7. Authenticity, Race, and Modern Athlete Image

• RG3 and Grete critique the NFL and wider culture for penalizing black athletes for authentic self-expression:
  • “Why is him wearing a big chain make you uncomfortable? Why is him being so confident and know his worth make you so uncomfortable?” – Grete (25:49)
  • RG3 expands: “Why are we telling guys like myself... you need to cut your hair because you might be more marketable?...That ain't right.” (29:35)
• The couple point out the hypocrisy in calling for authenticity, then punishing it.

8. Familial Impact: Deion’s Role and Perceptions

• Teams are “terrified” of Deion Sanders’ involvement as a supportive parent.
• “Why is being a great dad a problem?” – RG3 (36:36)
• They contrast Shedeur’s treatment with white athletes from similarly involved families (like the Mannings).

9. Message to the Next Generation

• RG3 worries the youth watching will internalize the idea that being oneself or showing confidence can hold you back.
• “Always be yourself. Always be confident and have the bravado from what you've earned on the field of play. Because you, you are enough. And who you are is enough for God. So it should be enough for man.” (39:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“Shadir Sanders should not have dropped out of the first three rounds of the NFL draft. He dropped out…because it's 100 percent personal.”

— RG3 (01:05)

“None of them were punished in the way that he's been punished.”

— RG3, on other confident QBs (01:08)

"Just because he made money doesn't mean that he doesn't love football. Don't you want the guys that made a lot of money last year in NIL because that means they were good football players, great football players."

— RG3 (14:33)

"So why are we punishing Shadur Sanders for the things that we absolutely crave...from our quarterbacks? That doesn't make sense to me."

— RG3 (09:40)

“The media can paint the narrative of you so quickly that people run with that. You don't even have the chance to prove who you really are.”

— Grete Griffin (27:35)

“Why do we celebrate it over a black man showing up the way he wants to show up?...I do think this has played a role in him falling in the draft.”

— Grete Griffin (26:33)

“Why is being a great dad a problem?”

— RG3 (36:36)

“Always be yourself. Always be confident and have the bravado from what you've earned on the field of play. Because you, you are enough. And who you are is enough for God. So it should be enough for man.”

— RG3 (39:23)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:33 – Setting up Shedeur’s Draft situation
• 01:05–05:44 – RG3 lays out reasoning for Shedeur’s fall; comparison to other QBs
• 11:55 – Discussion about “arrogance vs. confidence”
• 14:33–16:17 – Debunking the myth that NIL money erases 'love for the game'
• 17:40 – Deep dive into Shedeur’s stats, adversity, and leadership
• 18:55–20:48 – The gamesmanship of drafting lower for value
• 25:35–29:25 – Grete’s perspective on media narrative and personal style
• 29:35 – Authenticity, race, and expression in the NFL
• 34:42–36:37 – Personal and familial consequences of the draft slide
• 39:23 – RG3’s closing message to listeners and athletes

Conclusion

RG3 and Grete fiercely argue that Shedeur Sanders’ draft slide cannot be explained by football reasons—his tape, production, and leadership all mark him as elite. Instead, they identify personal bias, discomfort with confidence and authentic self-expression (especially from black athletes), media-influenced perceptions, and suspicion towards involved black fatherhood as driving factors. The episode calls for greater fairness, the celebration of authenticity, and a reassessment of how young athletes are evaluated, urging the next generation not to lose confidence in expressing themselves.