The Browns have treated Shedeur Sanders more like a late-round flyer than a highly talented prospect. Despite his obvious skill and competitive edge, they limited him to reps with the second and third units before eventually listing him as fourth on the depth chart. Still, they gave him a chance to start in preseason action, and he seized it against the Panthers. The Colorado alum turned in a composed performance, completing 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.
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Cleveland cruised to a 30–10 win, with Sanders’ play turning heads across the league, particularly among teams that passed on him in the draft after the negative reports about his attitude swayed them.
One such team was Tom Brady’s Raiders. After Thursday’s game, Skip Bayless wasted no time calling out Las Vegas and Brady, taking sharp jabs at both. He pointed out that the Raiders had multiple chances to draft Shedeur but didn’t, likely, he claimed, because Brady advised against it. Like many front offices, Las Vegas apparently focused more on perceived personality concerns than the film, which clearly showed Sanders’ talent and upside.
“What was it, five times Tom Brady’s Raiders could have drafted him? You can’t tell me Tom Brady didn’t say, ‘No, no, no’ to Shedeur. They didn’t like his attitude. They didn’t like his interviews, and I kept saying Watch the freaking tape. You can just watch it on TV. As you saw again [on Friday], I was not at all surprised by tonight at Carolina.”
Skip Bayless believes Brady refused to go to bat for Shedeur Sanders and even blocked the Raiders’ front office from drafting the Browns’ rookie. That, in Bayless’s view, is surprising given Brady’s personal connection to the Sanders family and their business ties. But is Bayless onto something, or just spinning another story for clicks like he has in the past?
According to Brady, it’s the latter. The seven-time Super Bowl champion flatly denied having any role in evaluating quarterbacks or influencing draft decisions. He called the speculation nothing more than a media fabrication. In fact, Brady revealed that he texted Sanders after his draft slide, encouraging him to forget the past and focus on the opportunity ahead.
Brady’s message was clear: it doesn’t matter where you’re drafted. What matters is what you do once you get there. He urged the Colorado alum to use the perceived draft slide as fuel, and when the right moment comes, to seize it and make it count.
” I wasn’t a part of any evaluation process. That’s the problem with the media-everyone can say whatever the f*ck they want. I actually texted Sheduer because I know him very well. I said, dude, whatever happens or wherever you go, that’s your first day. The second day matters more than the draft. I was 199. Who could speak on it better than me? Use it as motivation, you’re gonna get your chances. Take advantage of it.”
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That’s exactly what Shedeur has been doing—making the most of the limited opportunities the Browns have given him. He delivered in the first preseason game, and a few more performances like that could push the Cleveland coaching staff to move him up the depth chart. If not, another team might swoop in and bring him on as a backup for their QB1.
