Tom Brady, a man intimately familiar with draft-day slights, had a direct message for Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders after his unexpected slide to the fifth round of the NFL draft: turn the disappointment into a career-defining fire.  

Speaking on Logan Paul’s “IMPAULSIVE” podcast, the seven-time Super Bowl champion and Hall of Fame lock revealed he reached out to Sanders, whom he mentors, with words of encouragement rooted in his own draft experience. Brady, famously the 199th overall pick in 2000, stressed that the draft is merely the starting point.  

“I actually texted Shedeur because I know him very well,” Brady said. “And I said, ‘Dude, like whatever happens, wherever you go, that’s your first day. Day 2 matters more than the draft.’ I was 199. So, who can 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’s own journey from overlooked sixth-round pick to arguably the greatest quarterback of all time underscores the validity of his advice. He emphasized that talent evaluation on draft day is often fallible and that the true measure of a player lies in their performance once they reach the league.

“Wherever you end up going … it’s about your performance. What do you do when you get there? Because you’re going to get there,” Brady stated. He pointed to the success of undrafted free agents and later-round picks like Rodney Harrison, Julian Edelman, Wes Welker, and Danny Amendola as evidence that draft position is no guarantee of NFL success.

“So what’s it matter than some overhyped day where a lot of people are selling stories and saying, ‘All right this is the big day and this is the draft and it’s an important day and it’s fun and I love you know watching it and seeing it but I’ve also been there on Day 2 when they have to show up and actually learn a playbook, be a part of a locker room. There’s a lot of growth that has to happen.’”

Intriguingly, Brady, who is a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, noted that he was not involved in any evaluation process regarding Sanders. The Raiders, who had multiple opportunities to select Sanders before the Browns took him in the fifth round, ultimately passed.  

Sanders appears to have taken Brady’s mentorship to heart, opting to wear No. 12 – Brady’s iconic number – as he begins his NFL career in Cleveland. While Sanders wore No. 2 in high school and college, that number is currently held by veteran receiver DeAndre Carter.  

The Browns’ quarterback room is now a crowded one, featuring Sanders alongside fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel (a third-round pick), and veterans Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Deshaun Watson (who is expected to miss a significant portion of the season due to injury).  

Brady’s message echoes the sentiments of others who believe Sanders’ draft slide was unwarranted. Michael Strahan, who watched the draft with Brady, expressed surprise at Sanders falling so far.  

“I don’t think this kid should’ve dropped to the fifth round and I hate when you have unnamed sources,” Strahan said on “Good Morning America,” referencing some of the negative pre-draft chatter surrounding Sanders.  

Both Brady and Strahan believe Sanders landed in a favorable situation in Cleveland, despite the later-than-expected selection.

“Economically, this may have hurt Shedeur Sanders, but opportunity-wise it didn’t,” Strahan noted. “Because he’s on a team where I think he has a good shot to make a difference. I think he’s going to be a great player. … I think the Browns did a good thing, and I think they’re going to enjoy it.”

The financial implications of sliding from the first to the fifth round are significant, potentially costing Sanders millions. However, as Brady’s own career attests, on-field performance ultimately dictates a player’s legacy. Brady’s encouragement serves as a powerful reminder to Sanders that his draft position is now history, and the opportunity to prove his doubters wrong is just beginning. The Browns’ quarterback situation may be complex, but Sanders now has the added motivation to make every team that passed on him regret their decision.