Tom Brady Breaks Silence: The Untold Truth Behind Raiders’ Shocking Pass on Shedeur Sanders

Shedeur Sanders’ tumble to the fifth round in the 2025 NFL Draft caught many by surprise, especially given the lofty expectations that had him pegged as a top-10 pick. But here’s the kicker — one former sixth-rounder, none other than Tom Brady, sees no reason for Sanders to hang his head. Brady, who famously slipped all the way to number 199 in 2000 before rewriting history as a seven-time Super Bowl champ, weighed in on the Colorado quarterback’s draft day fate during a recent episode of “The Art of Dialogue” podcast.

Despite all the chatter about what caused Sanders’ fall, Brady—now a minority owner with the Las Vegas Raiders—made it crystal clear: he had zero involvement in the evaluations or decisions that pushed Sanders down the board. And, trust me, when you’re juggling roles as a franchise stakeholder and operation consultant, that kind of transparency is a must. Through the years, Brady’s known Sanders personally, helped guide him, and even reached out post-draft with some hard-earned wisdom: your journey is just beginning, and draft position ain’t the final word. Still, the road ahead won’t be easy — Sanders lands in a swirling quarterback carousel in Cleveland that’s already crowded with established names.

It’s fascinating to see these two stories intersect — the once-undervalued Brady, now giving hope to Sanders, who’s navigating the choppy waters of NFL expectations versus reality. For anyone watching the 2025 QB class drama unfold, this exchange is as much about resilience as it is about talent.

LEARN MOREAdvertisement“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 [pick number] 199. Yeah. So, who could speak on it better than me, what that really means? Use it as motivation. You’re gonna get your chances. Go take advantage of it.’”Advertisement

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However, rather than drafting his mentee, Brady’s Raiders traded for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith and gave him a two-year, million extension. They still could’ve selected Sanders as a quarterback of the future — Smith is 34 years old — but they instead selected star running back Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick and passed on Sanders with seven picks.Shedeur Sanders has some work to do, just like Tom Brady once did. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

“It’s a good question. I wasn’t a part of any evaluation process or to see that.”

When asked for any insight on why Sanders fell, an area where there has been no shortage of speculation, Brady clarified that he had nothing to do with it, which is something you have to do when you are a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and have been reported to be helping in the football operations department:

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