Tom Brady's relationship with Shedeur Sanders came into the spotlight during the NFL Draft.
Sanders fell to the fifth round, pick No. 144 overall, where the Cleveland Browns eventually picked him.
Brady, who is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, both said that he wasn't part of the evaluation process of Sanders but also texted him words of encouragement after the fall down the draft board.
The Raiders had seven picks in the draft before Sanders went off the board. They didn't necessarily seem to need a QB at the time, having traded for Geno Smith in the offseason already.
But as these narratives do, this one found a way to circle back around.
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In Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season, Sanders will start at quarterback for the Browns against the Raiders. It'll be the first start of his NFL career.
Sanders made his debut in Week 11 when Dillon Gabriel exited with a concussion. Deion's son completed 4-of-16 passes while throwing an interception and being sacked twice as the Ravens came back to beat Cleveland.
The hope for the Browns and for Sanders is that a full week of preparation will have him feeling much more comfortable when he takes the field against Vegas.
It likely isn't long before someone asks Brady or Sanders about their relationship with one another again. It's certainly an easy talking point for this week's game.
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Brady won't be at the game. His Fox color commentator role has him in Dallas for the call of Cowboys-Eagles in the same time window as the Browns-Raiders game in Vegas.
The first NFL start for Brady didn't come until his second season. He threw for 168 yards in that game, with the rest of the Patriots leading the way in a 44-13 win. Does Sanders have a 44-13 win in him? Guess we're about to find out.
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