NFL icon Deion Sanders showcased a rare glimpse of vulnerability as television cameras captured his anticipation while his son, Shedeur, experienced an unexpected slide in the 2025 NFL Draft’s first round. It comes after he showed his true colors when he found out the NFL Draft order.
Previously projected as a top pick due to his status as one of the lead quarterbacks—a notch above talents like Jaxson Dart—Shedeur was highly praised, with Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin publicly lauding his abilities prior to the draft proceedings. Despite the high expectations, the Steelers opted for Derrick Harmon, a defensive lineman, over Shedeur.
In a twist, the New York Giants then traded up and picked Dart, adding to the uncertainty of where the ex-Colorado standout would end up as he was repeatedly overlooked.
Before the Giants’ surprising move, there was noticeable tension in Deion’s demeanor, observing intensely as his son’s prospects dimmed. Significantly, Shedeur wasn’t at Green Bay with former teammate Travis Hunter for the occasion.
Opting for a different setting, Shedeur watched from a specially curated space, proudly displaying the moniker “legendary,” resonant with his personal branding. The room, meticulously tailored to the ex-Colorado quarterback, set the stage for his awaited transition to professional ranks with the franchise that would eventually select him.
Despite initially being a top prospect, Shedeur found himself unexpectedly slipping down the draft as teams overlooked him. This surprising turn of events was underscored by commentary from the ESPN broadcast team who remarked on the rarity of such a profound slide for a player of his caliber.
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Before the draft kicked off, Coach Mike Tomlin had expressed admiration for Shedeur’s quarterback capabilities, alluding to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ interest in possibly drafting the son of the football icon. With Aaron Rodgers’ future uncertain, Tomlin didn’t hesitate to praise the promising athlete.
“I think the things that stood out were evident in his video,” he said. “There’s a toughness there that doesn’t get talked about enough. There’s a competitive spirit there that doesn’t get talked about enough.”
“I know he’s very talented and he’s made a lot of plays for his university and his team. But the intangible qualities displayed on tape were impressive to me.”
Nevertheless, other teams hesitated due to impressions of Shedeur as being “entitled” and some even criticized his performance in “the worst formal interview.”
Unfazed by the critiques, Shedeur remained upbeat and dismissed the negativity when he spoke with NBC, stating, “I truly don’t have any space for negativity, so it doesn’t play a factor in my life at all. I understand the easiest thing in the world to do is to be negative instead of positive. I truly don’t care what people have to say.”
