Shaun King is sounding the alarm on Michigan’s quarterback room. The former NFL veteran argues that unwavering loyalty to quarterback Bryce Underwood could be the Michigan Wolverines' undoing.

“Coach Whittingham has one major weakness. He’s too loyal to his quarterback,” Shaun King said on the June 2 episode of The Coach JB Show with Big Smitty.

The former NFL quarterback’s take is the latest addition to a heated debate that started with Eric Weddle. The former All-Pro NFL safety who played for Whittingham in Utah made headlines with his comments on Underwood.

“Mark my words, don’t be surprised if the backups are playing early. I don’t think Bryce Underwood can throw or play quarterback,” Weddle said.

The Utah legend made his comments after he witnessed Underwood during the Spring Game when he visited Ann Arbor with his son, Gaige Weddle, a four-star prospect. According to Weddle, the 18-year-old has not progressed much from his freshman year.

Underwood’s 2025 season was underwhelming in contrast to his consensus five-star prospect status. The 18-year-old passed for 2,428 yards, threw 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The most glaring flaw was his 12.2% drop rate. 

On ESPN’s 2025 QBR table, Underwood stood at No. 28. Meanwhile, Jayden Maiava had the highest QBR at 91.2 for his 3,711 passing yards, 24 TDs and 10 INTs performance. 

Yet, Whittingham has rallied behind his quarterback, prompting King’s comment.

“First of all, Bryce was thrown into a pretty tough situation last fall,” Whittingham said, per Sports Illustrated on May 3. “You know, a true freshman, 18 years old, starting quarterback, not only a P4 program, but Michigan. I mean, that's, you know, you're under the spotlight.”

Underwood and the Wolverines ended with a 9-3 record under former head coach Sherrone Moore, who was eventually fired.

Eric Weddle Doubles Down On His Bryce Underwood Comments

Retired NFL safety Eric Weddle is not backing down on the comments he made on Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood. 

“Listen for people out there that say I'm out of line…go watch him practice,” he said in conversation with Shaun King. “I critique quarterbacks harder than any other position because my expectation is you either are good enough to win a Super Bowl, or you're not. In the NCAA, you're either good enough to get in the playoffs and win a championship, or you're not.”

The former Super Bowl champion has maintained that his comments are based on personal bias. He also appeared on the Rich Eisen Show and stated that he believes that Underwood is a “good kid.” 

For Underwood and head coach Kyle Whittingham, only a better performance this year can push back this criticism from veterans. Can they do it? What do you think? 

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar