Shedeur Sanders and Bronny James are no strangers to the spotlight, and with dads like Deion Sanders and LeBron James, that’s no surprise. These young athletes-Shedeur tearing it up as Colorado’s quarterback and Bronny finding his footing with the Lakers-have been racking up attention, but not all of it’s positive.
Enter Robert Griffin III, the former NFL star turned podcaster, who’s calling out the haters. On his Outta Pocket with RGIII podcast on April 8, he dropped a bold take: the flak these two are catching isn’t about their skills-it’s about jealousy over their famous fathers.
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Griffin didn’t hold back, pointing to their lineage as the real trigger. “Their dads are LeBron James and Deion Sanders,” he said. “The criticism isn’t about the sport. It more so has to do with who their father is, how great of a player that person was, the expectations that are levied on them… and I also think that it’s a little bit of jealousy.”
Shedeur’s Pro Day performance that same week was a highlight reel-sharp accuracy and deep-ball flair-but some scouts nitpicked his ball-patting habit. Bronny, meanwhile, has been battling “nepotism” jabs since his NBA debut, despite averaging 20.6 points in the G League lately.
Are Shedeur and Bronny criticized for their dads?
Both have faced their share of scrutiny. Shedeur, the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner, transformed Jackson State and then Colorado, throwing for 3,485 yards in 2024 despite a shaky O-line that saw him sacked 94 times over two seasons. “He’s done it back-to-back years without an offensive line,” RGIII noted, defending his grit.
Bronny’s journey’s been bumpier-drafted 55th overall in 2024 after one USC season, he’s still proving he belongs in the NBA shadow of LeBron’s legacy. Critics question his readiness, but his recent G League stats suggest he’s finding his groove.
The jealousy angle isn’t hard to buy. LeBron’s a four-time NBA champ; Deion’s a Hall of Fame cornerback turned coaching dynamo. That kind of pedigree sets a sky-high bar-and maybe stokes some envy. “You’re running around in an environment you’re used to… and I think he knocked it out the park,” RGIII said of Shedeur’s Pro Day, pushing back on the doubters. Bronny’s got supporters too-Shedeur even called his 30-point G League game “legendary” on Instagram.
