Tom Brady had a simple but powerful message for new Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders during his NFL draft freefall.
Brady and Sanders share a preexisting relationship, one that traces back to Shedeur’s father, Deion Sanders. The NFL legend and Brady have long respected each other as icons of the game, and that mutual admiration has extended to Shedeur, who has leaned on Brady for guidance throughout his college career. Their connection has evolved beyond football, with Brady offering mentorship and insight into what it takes to succeed at the next level.
Sanders was once projected as a first-round talent but unexpectedly slipped to the fifth round, where the Browns picked him up at No. 144 overall. Brady — widely considered the greatest quarterback in NFL history — was taken even later, at No. 199 in 2000. Drawing from his own journey, Brady offered Sanders some perspective and advice.
“I actually texted Shedeur because I know him very well,” Brady said during an appearance on the “IMPAULSIVE” podcast. “And I said, ‘Dude, whatever happens, wherever you go, that’s your first day. Day 2 matters more than the draft.’ I was 199. So who can speak on it better than me? Use it as motivation, you’re going to get your chances and go take advantage of it.”
Shedeur Sanders to Wear Brady’s Number With Browns
Interestingly enough, Sanders will wear No. 12 with the Browns — the same number Brady wore throughout his legendary career. Sanders wore No. 2 in college but that number was given to wide receiver DeAndre Carter.
Sanders’ fellow rookie quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, will wear No. 5. The two are set to compete for the starting quarterback job alongside veterans Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco. It’s a crowded room, but having options isn’t bad for the Browns.
“We felt like it wasn’t necessarily the plan going into the weekend to select two quarterbacks,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry told reporters after the draft. “But as we talk about, we do believe in best player available, we do believe in positional value, and we didn’t necessarily expect him to be available in the fifth round. We love adding competition to every position room and adding him to compete with the guys that are already in there. We felt like that was the appropriate thing to do.”
Tom Brady Not Involved in Raiders Passing on Shedeur Sanders
One team that was reportedly interested in Sanders was the Las Vegas Raiders. While Tom Brady is a minority owner of the franchise, he clarified that he had no involvement in the team’s decision to pass on the quarterback.
“It’s a good question. I wasn’t a part of any evaluation process to see that,” Brady said on “The Art of Dialogue” podcast.
Sanders will now get a chance to prove himself with the Browns and prove all the teams wrong who passed on him. There’s no promises as a fifth-round pick but he’ll be in the mix.
“We felt good with him as a person,” Berry said. “He works hard. He’s a really good kid. He wants to be great. His teammates loved him in Colorado, and I know he’ll come in here ready to work, ready to try and put his best foot forward in all areas of competition.”
Sanders will report for Browns rookie minicamp, which kicks off on May 9.
