Shedeur Sanders breaks silence about Trump's message during NFL Draft slide

Shedeur Sanders expressed sincere gratitude toward President Donald Trump after he publicly voiced support during Sanders’ surprising fall in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The former Colorado star QB met with the media for the first time since being taken in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns. Once projected as a top-round selection, Sanders slid all the way to the No. 144th overall selection.

“I was truly thankful,” Sanders told reporters, reflecting on Trump’s message. “Including him, there are a lot of fans, a lot of people in barbershops, hairstylists, just people who appreciate my craft and my family. I’m grateful to have that kind of foundation.”

Trump, who praised both Deion and Shedeur Sanders on Truth Social, questioned NFL owners for letting Shedeur slip so far. “Deion Sanders was a great college football player, and even greater in the NFL. He’s also a very good coach, streetwise and smart! Therefore, Shedeur… has PHENOMENAL GENES, and is all set for Greatness,” Trump wrote. “He should be ‘picked’ IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN.”

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Shedeur acknowledged the message as a sign of unity, saying, “As people, we could all come together as one.”

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Now competing in a crowded Browns quarterback room, Sanders is fighting for a shot at the starting job alongside Dillon Gabriel, Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, and Deshaun Watson, whose health remains uncertain.

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During rookie minicamp, Sanders split reps nearly evenly with Gabriel, showing early signs that the Browns may give the rookie a legitimate chance to prove himself.