‘He Resembles Dad’: Shedeur Sanders Recaps Steelers Visit
The Pittsburgh Steelers welcomed Colorado quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders to the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Thursday, ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft in two weeks.
He made a pair of appearances on his way out of town, video-calling from Pittsburgh International Airport. As that building undergoes massive renovations, so does its football team, and Sanders thinks he can be a part of them.
“I enjoyed my time here in Pittsburgh. I think I connected well with all the coaches, and it was real fun,” he said on Up & Adams.
When asked for a grade on the visit, he gave it a 10.
“I understand the mindset and why they win a lot,” he said.
He attributed that to the franchise’s culture and said that Mike Tomlin has a lot to do with it.
“What he preaches from his staff down is similar to my Dad,” he said.
Shedeur’s father Deion was his head coach throughout college at Jackson State and Colorado.
Later, on NFL Network’s The Insiders, he told Ian Rapoport and Tom Peliserro that he spends the visits “sitting back and observing,” to see how he would fit into the organization.
While originally charted to be selected prior to Pittsburgh’s first selection at 21st overall, the Steelers have come on late as favorites to land the 2025 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. In his senior season, Sanders completed 74% of his passes, for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns, leading the Buffaloes to a 9-4 record.
Prior to Sanders’ appearance, NFL insider Judy Battista advocated for the Steelers to take a look at some young QB talent to provide a long-term solution. She said it is “kind of murky” where he’ll end up falling on draft night. Rapoport said that the Steelers we’re good to do their due diligence, so they’ll be ready if Sanders slides to them.
Adams asked Sanders if it would “even be fair” for him to fall to a team coming off a playoff appearance.
“That’s on the other franchises that make that mistake and let go there,” he said.
Sanders is behind Miami’s Cam Ward the consensus number-two quarterback in a relatively weak class and has gained interest from teams around the NFL. He has already scheduled his second team visit to the Las Vegas Raiders next week.
Sanders told Adams that the idea of Aaron Rodgers coming to Pittsburgh was not brought up during the visit. He sounded relatively open to starting his career as the backup to the veteran.
“If that’s the way that things play out, then that’s how it plays out,” he said.