The Las Vegas Raiders, like the rest of the NFL, repeatedly passed on Shedeur Sanders during last month's draft. Raiders minority owner Tom Brady's relationship with Sanders adds an interesting element to that decision.
In an interview on the , Brady was asked his thoughts on why the Colorado quarterback fell to pick No. 144.
"It's a good question," Brady said after stuttering at the inquiry. "I wasn't a part of any evaluation process."
He continued: "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 2 matters more than the draft. I was [pick] 199. So, who could speak on it better than me, like, what that really means? Use it as motivation. You're gonna get your chances. Go take advantage of it.'"
Brady to have a voice in the Raiders' quarterback selection process this offseason. Perhaps he did with the trade for Geno Smith. The way general manager John Spytek discussed sixth-round pick QB Cam Miller, noting that Brady "," suggests Brady was at least asked about the former North Dakota State product.
Regardless of how much Brady was involved in the Raiders' QB evaluation process, the team's brain trust decided to pass on Sanders seven times. Even the Browns, who eventually ended Sanders' slide in the fifth round, passed on him six times, including when they drafted fellow rookie QB Dillon Gabriel in Round 3.
Brady's advice: "Use it as motivation. Wherever you end up going, it's about your performance. What do you do when you get there?"
The G.O.A.T. noted that, along with being a sixth-round pick himself, he played with many excellent late-round or undrafted players, including Rodney Harrison, Julian Edelman, Wes Welker and Danny Amendola.
"What does it matter other than some overhyped day, where people are selling stories, and saying 'Alright, this is the big day, and this is the draft?' " he said. "And it's an important day, and it's fun, and I love watching it and seeing it. But I've actually been there on Day 2 when they have to show up and actually learn a playbook, learn to be a part of a locker room. There is a lot of growth that needs to happen."
Sanders joins a QB room in Cleveland that includes Joe Flacco, former first-rounder Kenny Pickett, Gabriel and an injured Deshaun Watson.
Brady's advice for Sanders is to win over the locker room with his work ethic.
"He's gotta show up every day ... as a quarterback you have to be a leader," he said. "To be a leader is: Do I care about my teammates, and do I care about what we're trying to accomplish? Rules one and two. And I would say that to every quarterback that I come across. … That's what's endearing to your teammates. You're not just appealing to your 22-year-old rookie. You're appealing to the 32-year-old veteran who is trying to get the last couple years out of his career. You're appealing to the coach who doesn't want to get fired. You're appealing to the owner who has made an investment in you. You're appealing to the staff, whose lives are riding on the fact that you need to perform well.
"The only thing that mattered over time were my teammates. Did they feel like I gave them the best chance to win?"
Brady won a lot. Sanders will get a shot to win over his teammates during the offseason QB competition.
