A few months ago (before the NFL draft), the buzz was all about Shedeur Sanders and the Raiders. Tom Brady and Co. were looking for a long-term option after trading for Geno Smith. Yahoo’s Jason Fitz earlier claimed, “Mark Davis is going to make Shedeur Sanders his quarterback.” Mel Kiper Jr. added fuel, suggesting Brady might see “a little bit of himself in Shedeur.” Yet, come draft day, the Raiders passed, and Sanders slid to the Browns in the fifth round.
Funny how fast narratives flip. But why? At first, Shedeur was projected to be one of the top ten picks in the 2025 NFL draft. So why’s the sudden turn of events? Well, some suggested that it was hard to evaluate Shedeur’s gameplay, while others believed he was out there acting like he deserved the Aaron Rodgers VIP package—with Shedeur Sanders tape, not Rodgers’.
Toss in a dad who’s everywhere like Archie Manning, just without the Peyton or Eli-level arm talent, and yeah… teams got cold feet real fast. And so does the Raiders. But to make it spicier, there was someone who believed that it was Tom Brady who forced the Raiders to pass on Shedeur. We’re talking about Skip Bayless.
Frustration was brewing among the analysts and reporters alike after the first three rounds over a lone agenda: why the heck teams are passing on Shedeur again and again. Cue the comments by Bayless, who ranted on his official “X” handle, “It is now pretty clear Tom Brady–who mentored Shedeur–told the Raiders NOT to take Shedeur. Duly noted… How could Tom Brady’s team pass on Shedeur again and again and again??? Brady reportedly coached Shedeur. Brady reportedly was involved in Raiders draft decision-making.”
But here comes the dramatic part. Right after all that went down, an insider told Daily Mail: “Tom thinks that Skip Bayless is an idiot for thinking he had anything to do with Shedeur’s downfall in the NFL Draft. Tom has limited say in what players the Raiders pick in the NFL Draft or whomever they sign.” Let’s get to the core of it.
MEDIA FIGHT! Tom Brady Reportedly Thinks ‘Skip Bayless is an Idiot’ for Claiming He’s the Reason Las Vegas Passed on Shedeur Sanders https://t.co/X88vXa7ZeI pic.twitter.com/N9UwXv8dz4
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 29, 2025
Back in 2020, Brady and Sanders trained together when Shedeur was still in high school. Safe to say that Brady mentored Coach Prime’s kid in his early days of football. No wonder many believed that the Raiders would pick Sanders. Fast forward to now, and Brady’s a minority owner with the Raiders. Sure, Pete Carroll once remarked that Brady might call the shots when it comes to picking a QB. But let’s be real—does that mean Brady’s running the draft? No chance.
In fact, as per Daily Mail, “Pete Carroll (head coach) and Mark Davis (owner) have the final say on everything with the team. Will they talk to Tom for his advice? Absolutely, but Tom had no sway on getting Shedeur or staying away from him. …” At the end of the day, Bayless noting that Brady told the Las Vegas team not to take Shedeur sounds baseless. Or in Brady’s words—idiotic.
As for Sanders… well, the guy had to wait till the fifth round, but the Browns eventually picked him with the 144th overall pick.
Shedeur Sanders is back in the preseason camp
Shedeur Sanders had a mixed kind of NFL draft, if we’re really being honest. On one side, the 2025 NFL draft will be unforgettable for Shedeur and the Sanders family, considering he’s now all set to enter the pros. On the other side of the spectrum, the 23-year-old QB will surely want to forget the first two draft nights. The reason? Well, it’s pretty obvious.
For starters, the guy was slipped to the fifth round even though the folks out there believed he’d be a top draft pick. To make things worse, someone pranked the QB, claiming the New Orleans Saints were going to pick him. Brutal. But the silver lining is that the Browns finally made a call when they drafted him with the 144th overall pick. And now?
Well, the former Colorado QB has returned to pre-season camp. But this time, not for his dad’s football team. Oh no. This time, the guy’s ready for the Browns’ pre-season camp. On Tuesday, Shedeur took to his official IG handle and shared a clip on his IG story as he walked into the Browns’ facility.
Earlier this week, the QB addressed his fall to Day 3 of the draft and admitted that he’s going to fit perfectly in the Browns’ QB room. “I feel like talent is everywhere throughout the draft,” he said. “It’s just about being picked and who sees your value. … I was able to get an opportunity when a lot of people didn’t wanna give me an opportunity. … I know I’m gonna fit in perfectly. … [I’m] real comfortable with what they have in place.”
With Deshaun Watson’s injury, there’s a possibility the 23-year-old QB would get an opportunity to start in his rookie season.
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