Tom Brady offered guidance and support to Shedeur Sanders after the Colorado quarterback dropped to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite Brady’s ties to the Las Vegas Raiders as a minority owner and his relationship with Sanders, he made it clear he had no role in the team’s draft decision-making.
During an appearance on the Impaulsive podcast, Brady was asked about Sanders falling to pick No. 144. After hesitating, he clarified, “It’s a good question. I wasn’t a part of any evaluation process.”
Brady shared that he had reached out to Sanders personally, encouraging him to stay motivated and keep perspective. “I actually texted Shedeur because I know him very well, and I said, ‘Dude, like, whatever happens, wherever you go, like, that’s your first day. Day 2 matters more than the draft. I was [pick] 199. So, who could speak on it better than me, like, what that really means? Use it as motivation. You’re gonna get your chances. Go take advantage of it.’”
Although Brady was reportedly expected to weigh in on the Raiders’ quarterback situation this offseason—especially with the team trading for Geno Smith—there’s no confirmed evidence he influenced the decision to skip Sanders. Raiders general manager John Spytek did mention Brady “liked the way [Cam Miller] threw it,” referring to their sixth-round pick from North Dakota State, indicating some level of input.
Even so, Las Vegas bypassed Sanders seven times. The Cleveland Browns, who eventually drafted him, passed on him six times before selecting him in the fifth round, even choosing another quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, in the third.
Brady used his journey—from a sixth-round pick to one of the most decorated players in NFL history—to reassure Sanders that draft position doesn’t determine long-term success. “What does it matter other than some overhyped day, where people are selling stories, and saying ‘Alright, this is the big day, and this is the draft?’ … But I’ve actually been there on Day 2 when they have to show up and actually learn a playbook, learn to be a part of a locker room.”
Brady went on to list late-round and undrafted stars he played with, including Rodney Harrison, Julian Edelman, Wes Welker, and Danny Amendola, emphasizing that performance and leadership matter more than where a player is selected.
With Sanders joining a crowded quarterback room in Cleveland—including Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Deshaun Watson—Brady advised the rookie to win over teammates through consistency and leadership.
“He’s gotta show up every day … as a quarterback you have to be a leader,” Brady said. “To be a leader is: Do I care about my teammates, and do I care about what we’re trying to accomplish? Rules one and two… You’re appealing to the coach who doesn’t want to get fired. You’re appealing to the owner who has made an investment in you. You’re appealing to the staff, whose lives are riding on the fact that you need to perform well.”
Ultimately, Brady summed it up: “The only thing that mattered over time were my teammates. Did they feel like I gave them the best chance to win?”
As the offseason unfolds, Sanders will now get his chance to do just that.