The story of Shedeur Sanders’ shocking drop to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft has generated more discussion than any other.
As conversations of bias and backdoor decisions swirl, sports commentator Skip Bayless has pointed a direct finger at none other than NFL legend and Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady.
Skip Bayless Blames Tom Brady for Shedeur Sanders’ Fall
Bayless, known for his hard-hitting takes, claims Brady played a behind-the-scenes role in Sanders’ draft slide.
On an episode of “The Skip Bayless Show” the commentator uploaded on May 13, he criticized Brady for allegedly influencing Raiders GM John Spytek to pass on Sanders.
Bayless said, “The Raiders wouldn’t ask him, as a Raiders owner, one thing about Shedeur? Yea right, Tom, and you didn’t fumble on the tuck rule play either… Come on, man.”
Bayless highlighted the connection between Brady and Spytek – former teammates at Michigan and later colleagues with the Buccaneers, and questioned how the Raiders, with ample draft picks and an ideal quarterback situation, could repeatedly overlook Sanders.
“The Las Vegas Raiders had three third-round picks, they had two fourth-round picks… Spytek, obviously, did not take Shedeur with any of those picks because Tom Brady had obviously told Spytek not to take Shedeur Sanders with any pick,” he said.
Brady publicly denied it on Jake Paul’s podcast, but Bayless isn’t convinced. He insists Brady was involved and is now dodging accountability. “It’s okay, Tom. Just own it. You and a whole lot of other NFL people decided Shedeur just wasn’t worth the potential trouble, wasn’t talented enough.”
Bayless didn’t stop there. He called out the hypocrisy he sees in Brady’s public image, accusing him of trying to play both sides. “Don’t go smiling assassin on Sheduer… you were part of those who didn’t believe in Shedeur… Don’t be a two-faced hypocrite.”
In order to give his argument more emotional depth, Bayless revealed that someone close to Deion Sanders claimed the coach sobbed when Shedeur fell to 144th overall, a moment that was only surpassed by his breakdown after his 1997 suicide attempt. According to Bayless, “That interview… was what most turned the NFL against Shedeur and Deion.”
The idea that Sanders selected jersey number 12 in remembrance of Brady was also disproved by Bayless. “Shedeur did not choose 12 because of Brady. He chose it because 12 is his father’s number backward. Deion of course wore 21.”
In the end, Bayless remained resolute. “I’m hoping Shedeur Sanders proves Tom Brady almost as wrong as Brady proved everyone who failed to draft him until the sixth round.” As tensions build, it’s clear that this controversy is far from over.