Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol Tuesday, potentially opening the door for Shedeur Sanders to take over as the starter. If Watson isn’t cleared before Sunday’s Week 9 game against the New Orleans Saints, Sanders could get his first chance to lead Cleveland’s offense this season.

But before finding out whether he’ll start, Sanders has already found himself in the middle of a mini-controversy over his comments during a press conference. A Cleveland reporter took a shot at his response, prompting several Browns fans to come to the young quarterback’s defense.

Fans Blast Browns Reporter for Calling Out Shedeur Sanders’ Comments

Sanders was asked Wednesday to assess the Saints’ defense but avoided giving a straight answer, hinting instead that his smile said more than words could.

“When I smile, just know that means something,” Sanders said when asked if he got the chance to study the opposing team’s defense. “I’m maturing, you know what I’m saying? I’m maturing. Like, I could have given a decent answer, but now I’m just going to smile.”

Meanwhile, Saints quarterback Tyler Shough took a much more straightforward approach when asked about the Browns’ defense. He gave a detailed breakdown of what he expects to face Sunday.

“They’re solid,” Shough said. “They’re dynamic up front. They get off the ball really, really well. They got some good players on the back end too. And I think more than anything, those linebackers stand out. They fly around and hit, so we got to be ready to go, and it starts with us on our details.”

He added, “I think more than anything… we’re getting in the right so many situations. How do we capitalize and finish those, and how do we bring our play style to the mix, especially at home?”

Cleveland reporter Daryl Ruiter used this opportunity to take a jab at Sanders.

“Oh look, Tyler Shough was asked about the Browns defense, and he wasn’t a [expletive] about it,” Ruiter tweeted.

Several NFL fans weren’t happy with Ruiter’s comments and made their feelings clear.

“When you stop being a whiny pundit and treat the players with respect, you may get better answers. You are too sensitive to talk about anyone’s behavior,” one commented.

“Is there any part of you that felt like, ‘Maybe I deserved that?’” one X user exclaimed.

“And you all wonder why the fans don’t like traditional Cleveland Media. The constant antagonizing of our QBs, but then you want those same QBs to be respectful to you. The moment they go off script, it’s a problem? Maybe you wouldn’t get [expletive] answers if you actually were respectful to the QBs,” a third fan added.

“There’s no way the Browns media think they’re in the same class as the Saints media! If this were basketball, they’d sweep you all 4-0 every year…,” another wrote.

To be fair, the Saints’ defensive numbers suggest they haven’t been particularly dominant this season. New Orleans ranks No. 31 in the league with a PFN Defense Impact Score of 65.4 and ranks 23rd in passing yards allowed per game at 233.3.

If Sanders gets the start Sunday, he’ll have a chance to show what he saw in the Saints’ defense after choosing not to elaborate during Wednesday’s press conference.