Analyzing Shedeur Sanders’ play may result in some legal action.
Reporter Josina Anderson threatened Athletic reporter Zac Jackson with “appropriate action” after the latter revealed he received scathing messages about his coverage of the Browns quarterback, hinting that it came from Anderson’s sister. He then called out Anderson for “inciting” that type of reaction.
Anderson then put Jackson on blast.
“This defamatory accusation from @AkronJackson of The Athletic on his podcast, is categorically false. I do not have a sister named ‘Sheila Anderson,’ nor do I have a sister who reached out to Zac Jackson in any form or fashion,” Anderson posted Friday night to X. “I listened to the reported podcast, and I can’t believe that Jackson would so recklessly share that story on his platform without checking with me first and verifying the false claim. I will handle this with the appropriate action.”
Jackson has not posted a response to his X account as of Saturday morning.
This reporter-on-reporter drama kicked off after Jackson revealed he received multiple emails and social media messages “from someone who was presenting themselves as the sister of Josina Anderson,” as he detailed on his “Zac Jackson And Friends” podcast.
He labeled the messages as “vile,” saying they contained “baseless, personal claims, some very specific wording.”
“So Shedeur is to forget about what happened in the summer. Aren’t you the same mutt who lied about him last month and what happened during the draft?” one of the messages read, per Awful Announcing.
“Called out by Deion Jr. in your hit piece. You cowardly, pathetic creature. I don’t understand why you and many of Cleveland media write vile lies about the young king. He’s all that you will never be. You have no one to blame about where you are in your miserable life. Blame your parents, as you had a 400 year head start on this society. Your envy and jealousy is telling. Wash the grease and mousse. Brush those yellowing teeth and bathe, neanderthal.”
He thought the messages crossed the line to the point that he had to respond, and he replied with a note saying “you clearly have mental issues,” according to Awful Announcing.
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That’s when the person indicated they were related to Anderson.
“Ah yes, I did send it twice making sure you got my message,” the response said, per Awful Announcing. “The fact that you responded lets me know I hit a nerve, and I’m surprised you can even read. I’ll let my sister know you actually had balls to reply, but find it odd you haven’t responded to Deion Jr. Typical white cowardly boy afraid to deal with a Black man. I have all the help I need, Brutus. Go write another lie so you can feel superior giving your insecure ass a feeling of power, which is all you got. Have the life you deserve. You live behind a keyboard tearing down Black men who you envy and can never be, and I’m the one that needs to get help? You and your kind are a cancer to humanity. Again, go wash.”
Another email stated: “You have no idea who you’re dealing with white man. Take a guess at who my sister is. I’ll enjoy seeing the look on your face when you realize it. Take a bath yet? I smell the stench from this email.”
Jackson then lashed out on his podcast at Anderson, a longtime reporter who has been positive with her coverage of Sanders and has called out what she believes to be bias against Deion Sanders’ son.
“And so this person is claiming to be related, and is claiming to pass this message along,” Jackson said, per Awful Announcing. “That tells me, Josina, that you’re inciting this kind of s–t. And it’s bulls–t. Your mental issues are not my problem. And your opinions are not my problem either.”
Jackson said Tuesday he should have “probably not” revealed the messages to the public, and added that he would be taking the podcast down.
“The messages remain ridiculous, the messages remain curious in many ways,” Jackson said. “But I didn’t need to … keep the flame ignited, I didn’t need to share the ridiculousness involved with that because I don’t gain from it and you, the listener, don’t gain from it.”
