Last year, excitement sparked when Tom Brady made a surprise appearance at Fanatics Fest, held at NYC’s Javits Center, even before the event officially kicked off. Organized by Fanatics and its founder, Michael Rubin, the weekend-long extravaganza from August 16–18 drew up to 100,000 attendees. Fast forward to this year, and right on the heels of draft season, another rookie gala is on the horizon. And here’s the kicker—Tom couldn’t resist chiming in about it.

With a new NFL season right around the corner, Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin decided to kick things off in style by hosting an epic weekend for the league’s newest rookies in Los Angeles. On Friday, May 17, the 51-year-old CEO welcomed these NFL fresh faces and their families to the Intercontinental Hotel as part of the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event. And here’s the cool part—Rubin surprised everyone by unveiling their official NFL jerseys for the first time.

Taking to Instagram to share the excitement, Rubin posted, “Always an honor to host the NFL rookie party. Can’t wait to watch these guys crush it on the field and do amazing things!!!” And if that wasn’t cool enough, even the GOAT himself, Tom Brady, chimed in with a single fire emoji “🔥” in the comments. No words, just vibes. Maybe he was thinking that the league’s future is in pretty solid hands. Why? Because Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart were at the rookie meet. They’re the new kids on the block in the NFL, first-round QBs from the 2025 Draft, and stars in the making!

The night was packed with energy and inspiration. Rubin, NFL Players Inc. president Matt Curtin, and former stars Michael Vick and Ryan Clark all took turns addressing the room. To top it off, rapper Quavo brought down the house performing in front of a backdrop of the rookies’ shiny new jerseys. Rubin told PEOPLE he wanted the rookies to soak it all in and celebrate this milestone with their loved ones. “Here they are getting their official NFL jerseys for the first time, and I want them to just feel the moment, realize what they’ve accomplished, how special it is, and then just go to work—figure out how to win Super Bowls, each and every one of them.”

For Rubin, those jerseys mean way more than just team swag—they’re a huge symbol of dedication and hard work. “I think, in a lot of ways, it’s the realization of their dreams. They grew up fighting hard to do the thing that they love, and now here they are, getting their NFL jersey from their team. I mean, that’s a special moment,” he said.

But it wasn’t just about the jerseys—the weekend was also about making connections. Rubin even hosted a special luncheon at his house, where legends like Tom Brady and JAY-Z joined in on the fun. Daniels, one of the rookies, couldn’t stop raving about how much effort Rubin and his team put into welcoming them. “I mean, just hearing from him—his journey, what he’s been through. We got to hear his story and everything, so it’s dope just to hear that perspective,” Daniels shared.

During the lunch, Brady, now 46, dropped some classic wisdom about focusing on work ethic while managing branding opportunities. “Every day of practice is important. You know why? Because when I was on the Patriots, and we had 20 years of winning, every day was a big day,” he shared in a video Rubin later posted. Brady added, “I treated a regular game like it was a Super Bowl, so when I got to the Super Bowl, it was just another day for me.” It’s safe to say this rookie class left L.A. not just with new jerseys but with some serious motivation for what’s ahead. Actually, this motivation isn’t just for beginners anymore; even Tom Brady has tried to inspire Shedeur Sanders.

What did Tom Brady say to Shedeur Sanders?

Few in NFL history know the pain of sitting through the draft and sliding down the board quite like Tom Brady. The guy went from being a sixth-round pick by the Patriots in 2000 to becoming the undisputed GOAT, winning seven Super Bowls with the Pats and Bucs. Crazy, right? That whole rags-to-riches story is legendary. Now, fast forward to Shedeur Sanders, the Cleveland Browns quarterback who, like Brady, slipped in the draft. He dropped all the way to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft—something pretty much no one saw coming. While it’s still very early to predict how his NFL journey will go, Brady apparently had some words of wisdom for him.

During an appearance on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, Brady talked about what it feels like to sit through the draft and how Shedeur can take that disappointment and turn it into fuel. It’s not every day the greatest QB of all time texts you, so you already know that moment hit different for Sanders. Brady said, “I actually texted Shedeur because I know him very well, and I said, ‘Dude, whatever happens wherever you go, that’s your first day. Day 2 matters more than the draft.'” He even brought his own experience into it, adding, “I was (pick No.) 199, so who could speak on it better than me, like what that really means? Use it as motivation; you’re gonna get your chances, so go take advantage of them.”

Talk about words to live by from someone who’s walked that walk. Brady’s advice is golden—basically saying, “Hey, where you’re picked doesn’t define you; what you do after that does.” Coming from someone who tore up record books after being overlooked, you gotta imagine that hits hard for a young QB like Sanders. Sure, Shedeur’s career isn’t guaranteed to follow Brady’s insane path—not many could even dream of matching it—but it says a lot about Brady’s character that he’s still taking the time to mentor and guide younger players. It’s just another reason why he’s not only a legendary quarterback but a solid human being, too.