Tom Brady has disclosed that he reached out to Shedeur Sanders following the latter’s unexpected drop in the NFL Draft.
Sanders, a former star quarterback at Colorado, was initially predicted to be a first or second-round pick. However, he had to endure a 608-minute wait, even falling victim to a prank, before finally being selected by the Cleveland Browns.
The extent of Sanders’ fall led some fans to suspect a conspiracy against him, a theory that has since been disproven. Despite this, Brady, who is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, made sure to offer his support to Sanders as he embarks on his NFL career.
While appearing on the ‘IMPAULSIVE’ podcast with Jake Paul, Brady confessed that he didn’t understand why Sanders dropped in the draft, stating that he wasn’t involved in any “evaluation process.”
He criticized the media for their coverage of Sanders and shared the advice he gave to the young player.
“And 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 two matters more than the draft. I was 199. So who could speak on it better than me? Like what that really means. Use it as motivation. You’re going to get your chances. Go take advantage of it,'” Brady said.
Brady compared Sanders’ draft experience with that of Aaron Rodgers, highlighting how both faced unexpected turns. “So use it as motivation,” Brady advised. “Like wherever you end up going, it’s about your performance. Like, what do you do when you get there? Because you’re going to get there.
“I’ve also been there on day two and they got to show up and actually learn a playbook, learn, be a part of a locker room. And there’s a lot of growth that needs to happen.”
After his selection, Sanders conveyed a clear message to the Cleveland Browns leadership. “The main thing, I’m just proving – coach (Kevin) Stefanski and (general manager Andrew) Berry – that they are right,” he said after he was drafted. “That’s it. They’re right about picking me. I’m a good decision. I’m a good draft pick for them, to be able to come in there and do what I need to do.”
He went on: “I know I’m going to fit in perfectly. I feel like it’s first getting in, showing respect to the vets, showing them I’m here ready to work.
“Show the coaches and have them understand, I’m here ready to work. So, they could actually understand the real me. That’s what I’m truly thankful to have, is the opportunity for people to actually see the real me and not be able to see stuff that could be true or not.”
Despite no explicit reasons from teams for overlooking the young player, six NFL teams have raised concerns about Sanders’ athleticism and skills, possibly leading to his draft slide. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported: “I talked to about half a dozen teams today… They just thought that he wasn’t a first-round talent and a first-round player.
“They wanted to see him more throwing in rhythm. They wanted to see him show a little bit more athleticism. He’s considered a mediocre athlete who didn’t have enough film that they thought immediately translated.”
