Shedeur Sanders Steelers visit shows he might be the best fit for Pittsburgh if he falls to No. 21

Shedeur Sanders gave the Pittsburgh Steelers visit a perfect “10” and said Mike Tomlin reminds him of his father, Deion Sanders. He made it clear: if the NFL lets him drop to pick No. 21, the Steelers could land a franchise quarterback who already understands their culture. Shedeur Sanders might not be a top-five lock anymore, but he looks like someone ready to lead a playoff team, and he knows it.


After wrapping up his top-30 visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers on April 10, Shedeur Sanders told Kay Adams his time there was “a 10.” He didn’t try to play it cool. He looked like someone who just saw a real shot at something.
Sanders spoke about Mike Tomlin like he already knew him. “Just how [Tomlin] is as a person [and] the value that the team has in what he preaches from his staff down is similar to like my dad,” he said. The connection to Deion Sanders is obvious. But what matters here is the football fit. He respects how Pittsburgh runs their team. That counts more than any draft board.
The 23-year-old quarterback also said, “I enjoyed my time in Pittsburgh… I think I connected well with all the coaches, and it was real fun.” Short. Calm. Confident.
Then came the jab, asked whether it’s fair he could land on a 10-win team like the Steelers, he didn’t hesitate: “That’s on the people. That’s on the other franchises that make that mistake and let me go there.”
There’s nothing hidden in that line. If the league passes on Shedeur Sanders, he’ll take the insult and turn it into wins. He’s done it before.


The biggest headline from Shedeur Sanders’ Pro Day wasn’t about the arm. It wasn’t the accuracy. It was ball-patting.
That’s the internet’s favorite flaw now. He pats the ball before he throws. And everyone suddenly thinks that’s going to tank his NFL chances.
He responded to that, directly. To Kay Adams. Again, word for word:
“I think me patting has gotten me this far. I think patting the ball has gotten me to the position where I am now. So, I don’t see what’s wrong. … They always move the goalposts for me, so that’s why, mentally, you gotta be tough with everything.”
It’s not arrogance. It’s realism. The guy led the Big 12 in completion percentage at 74.0%, threw for over 4,100 yards, and 37 touchdowns. That’s production. That’s not potential. That’s tape.
And yet, he’s still in this weird bubble. One quarterback coach apparently called him arrogant during a visit. Meanwhile, fans are online arguing about his mechanics like no elite quarterback has ever had a habit worth fixing.
Scouts like Jacob Infante say he might only be the seventh-best quarterback if he had entered the 2024 NFL Draft class. He questions Sanders’ arm strength and ability to escape pressure. But 2025 isn’t 2024. This quarterback class doesn’t have six guys ready to go in the first round.
Mock drafts are wild right now. Some place Shedeur Sanders at No. 9 to the New Orleans Saints. Others drop him into the second round. But if Pittsburgh Steelers sit tight at 21, and Sanders slips? They win. No trades. No drama. Just a top quarterback walking into a stable, playoff-caliber roster.
That’s the piece Sanders has said clearly: “If you ain’t trying to change the franchise or the culture, don’t [pick] me.”
Pittsburgh doesn’t need changing. They need a quarterback who knows how to lead a team without blowing it up first. Shedeur Sanders knows the difference. And he’s ready to prove it, whether teams believe the ball-pat narrative or not.
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