Michael Strahan delivered a message from Tom Brady after Shedeur Sanders’ fall to the fifth round in the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday.
During Monday’s installment of “Good Morning America,” Strahan said he watched this year’s draft with Brady — famously a sixth-round selection, 199th overall, in the 2000 NFL Draft — who had some encouraging words for the former Colorado quarterback.
“I spent time with Tom Brady this past weekend and we watched the draft and as Tom said, ‘He’s an example, it doesn’t matter when you’re picked,'” the former All-Pro pass rusher said.
Brady, whose shirtless draft photo goes viral every year, went on to win a record seven Super Bowl rings over his 23-year NFL career with the Patriots and Buccaneers before he retired in February 2023.
The future Pro Hall of Famer became a minority owner of the Raiders in 2024.
Once a projected top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders dropped to the fifth round on Saturday, and the Browns traded up to take him at 144th overall.
Strahan, who won a Super Bowl with the Giants during his 15-year NFL career with New York, praised Cleveland for selecting the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.
“I don’t think this kid should’ve dropped to the fifth round, and I hate when you have unnamed sources. If you’re going to say something that bad to disparage a kid, put your name on it first of all,” Strahan, an NFL analyst for Fox, said, seemingly referring to anonymous reports that Sanders acted “entitled” and had negative interviews with two teams leading up to the draft.
“You watch so many quarterbacks who had no amount of production like he had. It’s about numbers when it comes to quarterbacks.
“… Economically, this may have hurt Shedeur Sanders, but opportunity-wise it didn’t — because he’s on a team where I think he has a good shot at making a difference. And I think the kid is going to be a great player… I think the Browns did a good thing, and I think they’re going to enjoy it.
Strahan added that Sanders “handled the prank and all this stuff right.”
The NFL said it was investigating a prank phone call to Sanders’ private phone number during Day 2 of the draft last Friday.
The quarterback received a call from someone impersonating New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis during a live stream on Twitch.
The Atlanta Falcons said in a statement that the son of Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was behind the prank after he got access to an open iPad at their home, which had Sanders’ contact info on it.
“It’s been a long wait, man,” the person said. “We’re going to take you with our next pick, man, but you’re going to have to wait a little bit longer, man. Sorry about that.”
After the person hung up the phone, Sanders, who was with friends and family at his private draft party, said, “What does that mean?”
Sanders called the prank “childish” and explained that he wasn’t feeding into negativity.
“It didn’t really have an impact on me, because it was just like, I mean, OK, like I don’t feed into negativity or I don’t feed into that stuff,” he said on a conference call with Cleveland-area reporters after he was drafted.
“… My reaction to it, I don’t — it is what it is. I think, of course, it is childish. Of course, I feel like it was a childish act, but everybody does childish things here and there.”
Jax Ulbrich, 21, issued a public apology on his Instagram on Sunday.
“On Friday night, I made a tremendous mistake. Sheduer (sic), what I did was completely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful,” Jax Ulbrich wrote.
“I’m so sorry I took away from your moment, it was selfish and childish. I could never imagine getting ready to celebrate one of the greatest moments of your life, and I made a terrible mistake and messed with that moment. Thank you for accepting my call earlier today. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
Sanders was the second quarterback the Browns selected in the draft after Cleveland added former Oregon standout Dillon Gabriel at No. 94.
In addition to the rookies, the Browns’ quarterback room includes Kenny Pickett and veterans Joe Flacco and Deshaun Watson.
