Shedeur Sanders Begins NFL Journey with Browns, Fueled by Self-Belief and Tom Brady’s Words

For Shedeur Sanders, the journey to the NFL has never been about following someone else’s blueprint — it’s been about writing his own. The Cleveland Browns made that belief official when they selected the former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Now, as he laces up his cleats at rookie minicamp, Sanders isn’t carrying a chip on his shoulder — he’s carrying a legacy, a message from a legend, and an unwavering faith in himself.

While others might be focused on his draft position, Sanders is locked in on a different mission.

“Tom Brady texted me right after I got the call,” Sanders shared during his first press conference as a Brown. “He reminded me he was a late-round pick too. But he said, ‘We’re here now, so none of that stuff matters.’ That hit me. That’s the mindset.”

Coming from anyone else, it would be just another quote. But coming from the greatest quarterback of all time — who famously fell to pick No. 199 — it resonates on a different level. For Sanders, it wasn’t just advice; it was confirmation. Confirmation that greatness doesn’t come with a draft slot — it comes with work, belief, and resilience.

The son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, Shedeur has grown up in the spotlight. But if there’s one thing he made clear in Cleveland, it’s that his focus is inward. He’s not interested in “proving the doubters wrong” or holding grudges against the teams that passed him over.

“My job here isn’t to prove people wrong,” he said. “It’s to prove myself right. I fully have self-belief, and what those people say — that’s just their opinion. I don’t live in that space. It doesn’t do anything for me.”

That mindset is more than words — it’s the foundation for how he plays the game. Sanders has been praised for his poise, pocket awareness, and accuracy — but even more so for his leadership. At Colorado, he commanded the locker room and delivered under pressure. Now in Cleveland, he’s ready to earn his spot all over again.

He’s not chasing validation. He’s chasing purpose.

Sanders enters a Browns quarterback room that includes established talent, but he isn’t fazed by depth charts or expectations. He’s focused on growth, mastering the playbook, and building trust — brick by brick.

There’s a quiet fire in Shedeur Sanders. It’s not born from bitterness, but from belief. From Brady’s advice. From his father’s legacy. And most importantly, from within.

Because as he begins this new chapter in Cleveland, one truth stands above all: the draft may have been five rounds deep, but Shedeur Sanders’ confidence is first-round strong.