Tom Brady's Strong Words About Shedeur Sanders 'Example' Amid NFL Draft Fall

Former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan watched the NFL Draft with seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. The two sent a message to Sanders amid his draft fall.

Tom Brady appears at American Dream for the grand opening of Card Vault by Tom Brady, a sports card and memorabilia retailer, East Rutherford, Friday, Apr. 11, 2025. / Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Sanders was taken by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 144 overall pick, which was much later than many expected.

Many NFL players have been selected late in the draft and gone on to have successful careers. One of the most notable late draft picks is seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. Brady was a sixth-round draft pick and did not start his career as a starter. Brady won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan revealed that he watched the NFL Draft with Brady. Strahan discussed what Brady said as they watched teams pass up on Sanders.

Tom Brady appears at American Dream for the grand opening of Card Vault by Tom Brady, a sports card and memorabilia retailer, East Rutherford, Friday, Apr. 11, 2025. / Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“I spent time with Tom Brady this past weekend and we watched the draft and as Tom said, ‘He’s an example, it doesn’t matter when you’re picked,” Strahan said.

Brady is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, a team who showed considerable interest in Sanders leading up to the draft. Many were surprised that Brady and the Raiders did not draft Sanders.

Strahan said that while Sanders may have fallen, he also believes the former Colorado quarterback is going to grow into a great player in the NFL.

“Economically, this may have hurt Shedeur Sanders, but opportunity-wise it didn’t - because he’s on a team where I think he has a good shot at making a difference,” Strahan said. “And I think the kid is going to be a great player. I think the Browns did a good thing, and I think they’re going to enjoy it.”

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Sanders is joining a large quarterback room, and it is unknown who will be the starter in week one. Every quarterback has a chance to earn the starting role at some point in the future, making it the perfect opportunity for Sanders.

The Browns drafted two quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders and Oregon Ducks Dillon Gabriel. The team traded for quarterback Kenny Pickett in the offseason and signed veteran Joe Flacco. Quarterback Deshaun Watson is returning to the team but is expected to miss the 2025 season.

Ahead of the draft, there were a couple of anonymous reports calling Sanders arrogant. These statements painted a bad picture of Sanders as a person. It is one of the believed reasons that Sanders fell to the fifth round. Strahan explained his displeasure with what was said about Sanders ahead of the draft.

Feb 6, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Shedeur Sanders on the red carpet before Super Bowl LIX NFL Honors at Saenger Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“I don’t think this kid should’ve dropped to the fifth round, and I hate when you have unnamed sources. If you’re going to say something that bad to disparage a kid, put your name on it,” Strahan said. “You watch so many quarterbacks who had no amount of production like he had. It’s about numbers when it comes to quarterbacks.”

With so much uncertainty surrounding the Browns' quarterback room, even if Sanders is not the week one starter, he will possibly see the field at some point in the season, eventually proving himself and becoming an NFL starter. 

The Browns finished the season with a 3-14 record and have not reached the playoffs since 2023. They have had just four winning seasons this century, and Sanders can be a part of the turnaround for the franchise. 

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