Shedeur Sanders Breaks Silence on 1st Round Rejection After Mike Tomlin Revealed True Colors and Gave up on QB

The Titans, the Browns, the Giants, the Raiders, and the Saints—Shedeur Sanders got bypassed by all these teams in the 2025 NFL Draft. But did you know what else was common among them? These are all teams that need a QB. So the situation we are witnessing right now is far from the “Shedeur’s going to be the No. 1 pick” that father Deion Sanders claimed last year. If, at all, those open defenses have hurt Shedeur more than he probably gives them credit for.

In fact, for months, analysts had framed Sanders as a first-round lock—a QB with the poise of Joe Montana in a 24/7 spotlight. His highlights reel played like a greatest hits album: 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns, and a 71.8% career completion rate that made defensive coordinators sweat. But the week leading up to Thursday night, the narrative flipped. For starters, Tom Pelissero, quoting thirteen league personnel concerning Shedeur’s image, reaffirmed the fact that the NFL is very much still a meritocracy, and that Shedeur can not be a day-one starter. And secondly, Albert Breer’s update from Sunday on Shedeur finally settling for a modest presence makes you wonder: Too little, too late? The answer, unfortunately, is yes. Shedeur, once pegged as a top-10 pick, watched 32 names get called, and none of them were his. Only two QBs—Cam Ward (Titans) and Jaxson Dart (Giants), who was touted a grade lower than Shedeur—went in Round 1.

The Steelers, linked to Sanders for months, snubbed him at No. 21 for Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon. When things didn’t go the way he had imagined, Shedeur took to social media and posted his thoughts after round 1 ended. He stated: “We all didn’t expect this, of course. But I feel like with God, anything’s possible. Everything’s possible.

“I don’t feel like this happened for no reason. All this is, of course, fuel to the fire. Under no circumstance, we all know this shouldn’t have happened. But we understand, we’re on to bigger and better things. Tomorrow’s the day. We’re going to be happy regardless,” Shedeur shared. But it doesn’t end here.

“I’m built for whatever today may bring,” he wrote on X just before the draft. But reports also state that Shedeur Sanders declined an invitation to attend the draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and instead, chose to spend it in Texas, surrounded by family and his guests. However, while the evening ended on a disappointing note for them, they will be geared up for the second round. As the Sanders family will navigate this important situation, weeks earlier, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin had praised Sanders’ “toughness” and “competitive spirit”.

“It was a normal pre-draft visit… it was a very normal visit and a very productive one,” Tomlin had said. But when the moment came, the Steelers decided to double down on defense instead. Meanwhile, scouts had flagged concerns regarding Shedeur right before the draft. What did they say about the young QB? Well, not great things…

Arm strength, pocket awareness, and whispers about attitude. One anonymous QB coach called Sanders “entitled,” as reported by Tom Pelissero from NFL Network. Then, another anonymous AFC scout shared: “The character stuff is also something that factors. From what I’ve seen at East-West Shrine and combine, there’s definitely some entitlement and special treatment that he expects.” Others questioned his decision to skip the Combine drills.

“You cannot simply declare yourself something you aren’t and hope nobody checks you on it,” wrote The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner. However, Sanders’ college stats—74% completions, 134 career TDs—screamed franchise potential. The disconnect has now left fans scratching their heads. Meanwhile, Tomlin’s pivot felt like a plot twist. The Steelers, craving a QB heir after Russell Wilson’s exit, passed on Sanders for a defensive anchor. A cold calculation? Or did Sanders’ swagger—inherited from his Hall of Fame father, Deion—spook a team wary of diva quarterbacks? (Hello, Aaron Rodgers!)

Shedeur Sanders and Tomlin’s smokescreen!

Tomlin’s pre-draft praise now rings hollow. “The intangible qualities displayed on tape were impressive to me,” he’d said of Sanders just a couple of days ago. So we wonder what discussions took place in their office to come to the conclusion of not picking Sanders in the first round. Whatever it is, let us not forget that teams have strategies that they need to stick to while drafting players, and there are more personnel than just the head coach involved in the decision-making process. Think about assistant coaches and general managers.

And so, while round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft did not go the way Shedeur thought, he can still be happy because his Colorado teammate, Travis Hunter, got drafted by Jacksonville at No. 2. Further, Shedeur Sanders will now look forward to round 2 of the draft on Friday, and here’s the thing: The Browns, the Raiders, the Saints, or the Colts are still potential landing places for him as they, on different levels, have needs that require a quarterback. In fact:

• CBS Sports’ round 2 mock draft has the QB landing in the Raiders’ zone (Round 2 – Pick 37). If that indeed takes place, he could be mentored by Geno Smith for one or two seasons before taking over.
• USA Today projected him to get drafted by the Cleveland Browns (Round 2, No. 33).
• PFF predicted he would get snatched by the Browns in round 2, pick 33.
• The Athletic also projected Shedeur Sanders with the Browns as pick 33.

So it will be interesting to see where Shedeur Sanders ends up and how quickly. What do you think?