Colorado fan sues NFL for $100M over Shedeur's draft slide
A disgruntled Colorado football fan has filed a $100-million lawsuit against the NFL over Shedeur Sanders' slide in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The fan, a Georgia resident who's referred to as "John Doe" in the federal lawsuit, claims to have suffered "emotional distress and trauma ... as a fan and consumer" because Sanders wasn't drafted until the fifth round, according to The Independent's Justin Rohrlich.
"It was immediate frustration," the 55-year-old plaintiff told The Independent. "This guy was projected to be the first or second pick, no later than the top five, and to watch mediocre players be chosen before him ... it was frustrating."
"Doe," who describes himself a dedicated Colorado football fan with no connection to Sanders, added, "And to have all the NFL owners collude and not draft him, it was mentally frustrating and debilitating. For them to believe that they can just do this and there's no recourse. It has to stop."
The former Colorado quarterback was widely projected to be a first-round selection entering the draft, but he didn't hear his name called until the Cleveland Browns drafted him with the 144th overall pick.
Doe accused the NFL of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act in the lawsuit, alleging that team owners unfairly conspired "to influence the drafting process ... (and) to restrain trade and limit competition within the league."
The lawsuit accuses the NFL of violating the Civil Rights Act: "The decisions made regarding Sanders may have been influenced by racial discrimination, violating his rights as a player." And the civil suit states that the league "may have engaged in unfair practices by misrepresenting the nature of the drafting process and the qualifications of players," while citing violations of consumer protection laws.
In addition to the $100 million in punitive damages that "Doe" is seeking, he wants a "formal acknowledgment ... regarding the emotional distress caused by their actions and statements" from the NFL, an apology and a "retraction of the slanderous statements made about Shedeur Sanders," and the "(i)mplementation of fairer practices in the drafting process to ensure that talented players are recognized and given opportunities based on merit."