After being heralded as top-three prospect in his class, Shedeur Sanders experienced the most unprecedented slide in the history of the NFL Draft. The former Colorado Buffalo wouldn’t hear his name called until the fifth round of the draft, when the Cleveland Browns would finally put an end to the misery by taking him with the 144th overall pick.
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For all of the frustrations and embarrassment that the draft day debacle has caused for his fans, family, and Sanders himself, his former mentor, Tom Brady, believes it’s time for the 23 year old to gather himself and move on. During a recent appearance on the Impaulsive podcast, the minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders indirectly gave an honest assessment of the situation.
“It’s about your performance, what you do when you get there, because you’re going to get there. I was around some of the best players who were undrafted free agents… Rodney Harrison wasn’t a high pick. Julian Edelman wasn’t a high pick… All those guys were phenomenal players, so what’s it matter?”
While his overall message to the second-generation signal caller was one of encouragement, Brady did feel the need to throw in the caveat that “There’s a lot of growth that needs to happen.”
Brady revealed that he did reach out to Sanders in an attempt to convey that, from this point forward, his position in the draft no longer matters. In citing his own experience of being a sixth-round draft pick, the future first-ballot Hall of Famer encouraged the 2024 Golden Arm winner to make the most of the opportunity that has been afforded to him.
“I actually texted Shedeur because I know him very well, and I said dude, whatever happens, wherever you go, that’s your first day. Day two matters more than the draft. I was 199, so who could speak on it better than me? Use it as motivation, you’re going to get your chances. Go take advantage of it.”
While it certainly wasn’t as dramatic as Sanders’ slide in the 2025 NFL Draft, Brady also cited the brief fall that Aaron Rodgers took 20 years ago in the 2005 NFL Draft.
“I remember when they would talk about Aaron Rodgers sliding, and Aaron slid to like 21 in the first round, or whatever it was. I was like, ‘Dude, you’re the 21st pick in the first round, I think they think you’re still pretty good… Use it as motivation.”
Brady’s advice extends well beyond the football field, making it something that everyone can take with them. When life presents you with a less-than-ideal situation, or it denies you the recognition that you believe you are owed, choose discipline and growth rather than complaints and bitterness.
Suffice to say, it’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish. Considering that Brady managed to transform himself from the epitome of an underdog to a walking dynasty, it’s likely that Sanders would do well to heed his advice.
