"Biggest Mistake of the Mike Tomlin Era": Chris Canty slams Steelers for passing on Shedeur Sanders

The Pittsburgh Steelers may have made a decision that could define and potentially derail the Mike Tomlin era. In a draft teeming with quarterback talent, they passed on Shedeur Sanders not once, but repeatedly, allowing him to slide deep into Day 3. The twist? He landed with none other than the Cleveland Browns. Now, as the AFC North braces for a potential power shift, ESPN’s Chris Canty is sounding the alarm calling Pittsburgh’s move the biggest mistake of Tomlin’s tenure if Sanders becomes a star in Cleveland.

Did Pittsburgh just gift Cleveland their franchise QB?

Canty didn’t hold back during his ESPN Radio segment. “If Shedeur Sanders ends up being the franchise quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, a division rival, that is an absolute embarrassment,” he said. But it didn’t stop there, he went on to suggest that this decision could go down as the biggest mistake of the Mike Tomlin era.


While the Steelers did select Will Howard, his ceiling remains uncertain. Russell Wilson is aging, and Justin Fields is fighting to prove he’s more than a backup. In that context, passing on a high-upside prospect like Sanders especially that late in the draft raises more than just eyebrows. It invites scrutiny.

Dodging Deion’s son could define a rivalry for years to come

What makes the decision sting more is the symbolism. Sanders, son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, carries undeniable star power and competitive fire. Pittsburgh's refusal to draft him reads less like a football decision and more like an unwillingness to handle the spotlight that comes with him. And now, that spotlight belongs to Cleveland.

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If Sanders blossoms in the AFC North, it won’t just be a draft-day miss, it’ll be a legacy-altering moment. For a team and a coach who pride themselves on building dynasties, letting a potential franchise quarterback go to a rival could haunt them for years to come, especially if those losses start piling up head-to-head. And if Canty's prediction proves true, Steelers fans will remember this not as just a missed opportunity but as the biggest mistake of the Mike Tomlin era.