On Jan. 17, it was announced that Tennessee Titans assistant wide receivers coach Payton McCollum would be the quarterbacks coach of Shedeur Sanders at the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl. As a result, many have quickly pointed out how it doesn’t seem completely right to have a member of a potential NFL franchise who may select Sanders be his coach in the prospect game.
Social Media Reaction to Shedeur Sanders, Titans News
The East-West Shrine Bowl is an all-star game of sorts for players at the college football level. The game occurs at the end of the season to ensure that the most eligible players can participate in the matchup.
Alongside Sanders, the West Division quarterbacks are Minnesota Golden Gophers Max Brosmer and Missouri Tigers Brady Cook.
The official East-West Shrine Bowl posted a photo outlining how McCollum would be the coach for Sanders. Though the post indicates that McCollum is the Titans’ assistant QB coach, the club’s official website details how he is currently the assistant wide receivers coach.
The 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl QBs from the West coached by Payton McCollum (@CoachPMcCollum) from the @Titans!
💫 @ShedeurSanders, @CUBuffsFootball
💫 @maxtbro, @GopherFootball
💫 @qbcook12, @MizzouFootball#ShrineBowl pic.twitter.com/wAwMX3FDHO— East-West Shrine Bowl (@ShrineBowl) January 17, 2025
In response, one individual detailed how they thought this was tampering of sorts from the Titans.
“Sounds like tampering,” they explained.
Sounds like tampering
— Boogie Bankz (@BoogieBankz56) January 17, 2025
Finally, another person made the connection between the Titans having the No. 1 overall pick this year and Sanders being coached by one of their coaches in the game.
“Don’t the Titans have the #1 overall pick? 🤔🤔,” they said.
Don't the Titans have the #1 overall pick? 🤔🤔
— Sean Cummings (@the_cat_daddy) January 17, 2025
Due to their record this campaign, the Titans hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Sanders’ 2025 NFL Draft Projection
While not officially tampering according to NFL rules, to complicate the rumors even further, Pro Football Network’s Dalton Miller believes that the Titans will select Sanders No. 1 overall in his recent 7-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft.
As Miller notes, “The Titans are in an interesting spot. Brian Callahan clearly needs a new name under center for his offense. His relationship with Will Levis is tumultuous at best, and he should have more than enough security to have Sanders develop for a year or two.
“Sanders isn’t a finished product. He’s the most accurate quarterback in the class by a significant margin, and he’s able to work within an NFL timeline, considering he’s survived poor protection in college throughout his career. His physical ceiling is lower than Cam Ward’s, but the same clear frustrations Callahan has with Levis will be present with Ward, who is, by any definition, an old-school gunslinger.”