Mom of Shedeur Sanders shares emotional statement following thrilling NFL Draft event
Catching the NFL Dream: The Sanders Brothers' Journey
On a promoting Saturday, Pilar Sanders, mother of NFL rookies Shilo and Shedeur Sanders, was left speechless as her boys embarked on their professional careers. She captured the momentous occasion in an Instagram post, sharing a family photo that included their father, Deion Sanders, daughter Shelomi, and their new teammates from the Browns and Buccaneers.
"Two sons. One league. Greatness runs in the family lineage. This is more than football – it's a Legendary legacy for the Headache Gang! Words can't express this sentiment!" Pilar captioned the heartwarming snap.
Shedeur, 23, who faced considerable scrutiny leading up to the 2025 draft, finally heard his name called in the fifth round on Saturday when the Browns picked the former Buffaloes quarterback at No. 144 overall.
Shilo, 25, a safety who shared the field with brother Shedeur at Colorado, signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent.
A dramatic NFL draft experience unfolded for the Sanders family as they watched Shedeur slip out of the first round on Thursday. Out of the initial quarterbacks selected, only Cam Ward (No. 1, Titans) and Jaxson Dart (No. 25, Giants) were chosen.
Shedeur's wait continued into the second and third rounds on Friday when he fell prey to a cruel prank. A 21-year-old man, Jax Ulbrich, son of former Jets coach Jeff Ulbrich, was behind the deceitful act.
However, the Browns, who picked Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round, eventually put an end to Shedeur's waiting game on the draft's final day.
Shedeur expressed his gratitude by posting, "Thank you @clevelandbrowns for an OPPORTUNITY !!!!!!! THANK YOU GOD," on Instagram following his selection.
Now entering a crowded Browns quarterback room that includes Gabriel, former first-round pick Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco, and Deshaun Watson, whose 2025 availability remains uncertain due to a re-injured Achilles, initially sustained in October 2024, Shedeur faces stiff competition.
Browns GM Andrew Berry felt Shedeur offered good value at the most important position. "We thought he was a solid prospect, and his acquisition cost was relatively light," Berry told reporters after the draft. "I wouldn't say it's any more than that. Obviously, Shedeur has grown up in the spotlight, but our expectation is for him to come in here and work and compete."
Deion Sanders, who married Pilar in 1999 before the couple's 2013 divorce, shared his pride for his sons in an Instagram post the following day. "God is great," he posted.
- Despite being undrafted, Shilo Sanders signed with the NFL team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as a free agent in 2025.
- Shedeur Sanders, who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, faces a polarizing journey in the competitive NFL, with the team's quarterback room consisting of Dillon Gabriel, Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, and Deshaun Watson, whose 2024 re-injured Achilles may affect his 2025 availability.
- The Sanders brothers' 2025 NFL Draft experience was filled with highs and lows, including Shedeur's slide out of the first round, a cruel prank, and finally being picked by the Cleveland Browns on the draft's final day.
- The Sanders brothers' journey in the sports world of American football, particularly NFL football, is not only about football but also about building a Legendary legacy, as Pilar Sanders shared in her Instagram post, referring to her sons and their new teams as the Headache Gang.
