STWF Sports | Nov. 22, 2025 – Opportunity doesn’t often arrive neatly wrapped for late-round draft picks — but on Sunday in Las Vegas, Shedeur Sanders will get his shot. The No. 144 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is set to make his first career start for the 2–8 Cleveland Browns, stepping in for Dillon Gabriel, who failed to clear concussion protocol. And the timing couldn’t be more intriguing.

His debut comes against the Las Vegas Raiders, a team with the same 2–8 record — and partially owned by none other than Tom Brady. For some, the parallels between Sanders and the seven-time Super Bowl champion are hard to ignore.

A First Start That Has NFL Legends Talking

Rob Gronkowski — Brady’s longtime teammate and future Hall of Famer — believes Sanders is walking into an ideal scenario.

“You can’t ask for a better opportunity for your first career start,” Gronkowski said. “It’s against the Raiders, who are one of the worst teams in the NFL right now. I think he gets a win, and I think he stays consistent and remains the starting quarterback.”

Those words carry weight, especially considering Sanders already stepped in during Week 11 for his first NFL snaps, showing enough poise to spark internal buzz within the organization. Now, he’ll get his chance to prove he belongs under center long-term.

The Brady Comparison: More Than Just a Storyline

The comparisons to Brady aren’t just media hype — there’s a genuine narrative link.

In 2001, Brady began the season as a relative unknown backup. Drafted 199th in 2000, he threw only three passes his rookie year and was inactive in 14 games. But when Drew Bledsoe went down in Week 2, Brady took the field and never gave the job back.

He guided New England to a Super Bowl title that same season and cemented himself as one of the greatest players in NFL history.

Sanders’ path has echoes of that story:

• Fell in the draft despite high expectations

• Entered the league as a backup

• Got his shot due to another QB’s injury

• Could seize the job permanently with a strong performance

No one is predicting a Brady-level breakout — at least not yet — but the similarities have fans and analysts buzzing.

Draft Day Déjà Vu: Brady Reaches Out to Sanders

Following Sanders’ surprising drop to the fifth round, Brady himself reached out with words only he could deliver.

“Use it as motivation,” Brady told Sanders. “You’re going to get your chances. Go take advantage of it.”

Twelve weeks later, that moment is here — and the twist? It comes against Brady’s Raiders, the franchise that passed on Sanders seven times in the draft.

A Revenge Game Without the Label

Las Vegas needed a quarterback in April. They had picks 6, 58, 68, 98, 99, 108, and 135 and didn’t call Sanders’ name once. Fans have been quick to connect the dots.

“Sanders definitely won’t forget that,” one Browns fan wrote on social media. “He’s gonna light them up.”

Cleveland, meanwhile, is optimistic that Sanders can inject energy into a stagnant offense while benefiting from a top-tier defense that can carry the pressure if early mistakes happen.

A Rookie Storyline Worth Watching

The Browns don’t want Gabriel out long-term, but if Sanders thrives, a genuine quarterback controversy could take shape in Cleveland down the stretch.

For Sanders, the stakes are as clear as they are thrilling:

• A chance to validate the belief of those who saw first-round talent

• A chance to prove doubters wrong

• And a chance to launch a career in the same dramatic fashion as the quarterback he’s so often compared to

On Sunday at Allegiant Stadium, Shedeur Sanders won’t just be stepping into his first NFL start.

He’ll be stepping into a moment that feels eerily familiar — one that could define the rest of his career.