The Cleveland Browns got their first look at Shedeur Sanders on Friday during the first day of the team's rookie minicamp after he fell to them all the way in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft. Now, Sanders will be looking to prove everybody wrong after his staggering slide in the draft, and according to him, he's looking to follow in the footsteps of none other than Tom Brady.
Similar to Sanders, Brady fell to the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft before he eventually got scooped up by the New England Patriots. As we all know, Brady would go on to become arguably the greatest player in the game's history, winning seven Super Bowls over the course of his legendary career. Sanders has received some heartfelt words from Brady after he fell to the Browns, and former Colorado Buffaloes passer boldly declared that he's looking to write a story similar to the one Brady wrote.
“My story is gonna be similar,” Sanders said when asked about Brady. “I was a late-round draft pick, but we're here now, so none of that stuff matters … just excited to be here and ready to work.”
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Shedeur Sanders looking to follow Tom Brady's path after landing with Browns
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) throws a pass during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
There are some differences between Sanders and Brady right off the bat, at least when it comes to their path to the NFL. Sanders was expected to be a first-round pick, while Brady was always realistically believed to be a Day 3 pick. The Browns quarterback job is also wide open, while Brady had to sit behind Drew Bledsoe in New England before eventually taking the starting job when he was forced to the sideline due to a serious knee injury.
Every quarterback enters the league looking to follow in Brady's footsteps, and Sanders is no different. However, he has a similar chip on his shoulder that Brady entered the league with, and that extra motivation could be what fuels the former Colorado star to succeed in the NFL. Sanders will continue to draw attention throughout the summer as he competes for Cleveland's starting quarterback gig.
a]:text-link [&_>a]:underline">Owen Crisafulli is a Senior Editor and NFL Lead at ClutchPoints, who also covers the NBA and MLB. He recently received his Masters in Business Administration from Nichols College. Previously, he obtained his Bachelor's degree in Sport Management, ran his own website, and had bylines at FanSided and the Basketball Network.