The 2025 NFL Draft will go down as one of the most controversial in the event’s history. Shedeur Sanders plummeted through round after round, waiting for his phone to ring, something Tom Brady knows all too well.
Brady Passed on Shedeur Sanders in Vegas
When it comes to on-field decisions for the Las Vegas Raiders, Tom Brady is now clearly calling the shots. It’s evident he’s playing a major role in reshaping the team and influencing key roster moves.
One of Brady’s first major responsibilities this offseason was helping to select a new franchise quarterback, following an underwhelming year with Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew under center.
Brady and the organization brought in GM John Spytek—a familiar face from their days together at Michigan and later in Tampa Bay, where Spytek held a front office role during Brady’s time with the Buccaneers.
Together, they chose to bring in Super Bowl-winning head coach Pete Carroll, who reportedly backed veteran Geno Smith as the team’s next starting quarterback.
Pete Carroll had previously worked with Geno Smith in Seattle, where the quarterback revitalized his career. Now a seasoned veteran with valuable experience, Smith was seen by Carroll as an ideal fit for the Raiders’ offense in Las Vegas.
Brady backed the move, and the Raiders traded a third-round pick to acquire Smith, later signing him to a two-year, $75 million extension.
Despite the addition, there was widespread speculation that Las Vegas would still draft a quarterback to develop behind Smith—one of the top names linked to them was Shedeur Sanders. He had even been projected to the Raiders with the sixth overall pick in early mock drafts.
However, the team repeatedly passed on Sanders, and he ultimately fell to the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round.
Skip Bayless criticized Brady for that decision in his latest YouTube rant—oddly enough, while discussing the Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 schedule.
“We beat Geno two years ago when he was Seattle’s quarterback… We can beat Geno Smith. Shedeur should be the quarterback, obviously, with the Raiders. Ask Tom Brady why that didn’t happen.”
Bayless Predicts Winning Year for the Cowboys
The Cowboys will face the Raiders on the road in Week 11, coming off their Week 10 bye. Skip Bayless appears highly confident in Dallas this season—not just for that matchup in Las Vegas, but for the 2025 campaign overall.
In a recent video, Bayless predicted the Cowboys would finish the season with a 13-4 record based on the newly released schedule.
He did, however, acknowledge the challenges posed by the Washington Commanders and the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in what remains a highly competitive NFC East.
Winning the division won’t come easy, but Dallas has strengthened its roster and added a few offensive playmakers. Maybe Skip’s bold prediction isn’t as far-fetched as it seems.