Browns vet Joe Flacco, rookie Shedeur Sanders have similarities to summer blockbuster movie

With the Cleveland Browns starting training camp towards the end of July, everyone’s attention will be shifted towards the quarterback position. Going into camp, the depth chart has four quarterbacks, two rookie and two veterans. The main rookie that is being talked about is 5th round pick Shedeur Sanders despite Dillon Gabriel being selected two rounds earlier.

As far as the veteran, it’s longtime veteran and fan favorite Joe Flacco.

Both Flacco and Sanders are popular as many believe Flacco will start the season and eventually Sanders will take over if Flacco’s play declines. Off the field, as far as their relationship goes, we can assume that it is going well based off this one interaction:

Speaking of summer stories...

‘F1: The Movie’ is currently one of the hottest movies that is out right now during the summer. F1 dives into Formula 1, which is one of the best racing leagues in the entire world, starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris as the two main stars of the film.

The movie is about Sonny Hayes (played by Pitt) making his return to Formula 1 after a 30 year absence as he helping his former friend/teammate save his current F1 team APXGP which is on the verge of being sold. The only way the team can be saved is if the team wins one race out of the nine remaining.

When it comes to Formula 1, you are not only racing against the other drivers but you are racing against your teammate as well. F1 rookie Joshua Pearce (played by Idris) is a talented, hot shot rookie but inexperienced. It’s your typical underdog film with a redemption story and the emphasis on teamwork.

When you look at Sonny Hayes and Joshua Pierce, you can see the similarities with Joe Flacco and Shedeur Sanders.

Flacco, Hayes a bit different but with similar goal

As someone who has watched the F1 movie and someone who watches Formula 1, the movie taught me a lot as well as it being entertaining. When Hayes was brought in to help APXGP, he viewed it as an opportunity to redeem himself. Hayes was a promising rookie with all the talent in the world but his F1 career ended early due to a bad crash during the Spanish Grand Prix.

Hayes spent his time racing for multiple leagues before making his return to Formula 1. Hayes viewed the return to Formula 1 as a chance for redemption, to get back to the mountain top he was close to reaching. While he’s trying to help the team, he’s also trying to help Pearce to a degree.

While Hayes and Flacco aren’t the same in terms of personality, they are both trying to help a team that is struggling. Hayes helps out APXGP during the Hungary Grand Prix by using specific tactics to help out Pearce, forcing racing incidents to bring out the safety car and it led to Pearce getting points for APXGP (finishing in the top 10 you are awarded points, 1st you get 25 points, 10th you get 1 point).

Flacco, similar to Hayes, has some aggressive tendencies when it comes to their respective sports.

Sanders, Pierce are talented rookies but with different mindsets

When it comes to F1 fictional character Pearce and rookie quarterback Sanders, the two are about as different as possible in terms of personalities. Pearce is confident to the point of arrogance. When Pearce heard about Hayes being brought in, he wasn’t enthusiastic about it.

Considering how Pearce had dealt with previous teammates before Hayes, he viewed Hayes as “washed” or someone who’s not as good as they once were. Pearce is trying to prove he belongs in Formula 1 and that he doesn’t want any handouts.

With the Browns quarterback, Sanders is talented but he doesn’t have nearly the same arrogance as Pearce. Sanders has the confidence but he isn’t willing to blame his teammates for his own shortcomings which Pearce did in the movie. Pearce suffered a fiery crash during the rain-inflicted Monza Grand Prix in which he blamed on Hayes. Hayes encouraged Pearce to stay out and not swap tires and while it worked to a degree (Pearce vaulted to 2nd place) Pearce ignored Sonny’s advice and tried to overtake Max Verstappen who was in 1st place and he ended up hitting a curb, putting his car airborne and caused him to miss the next couple races.

Sanders and Pearce have the work ethic to be the best but both have different mindsets in how they want to get there. Pearce lacks the maturity to start the movie but he later matures into the leader that he needed to be.

We will see if Sanders has the same career arc need to evolve into a star in the NFL.