Two weeks ago, Shedeur Sanders was expected to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. The consensus No. 2 quarterback in the class led college football in completion percentage in 2024 and helped the Colorado Buffaloes to their first nine-win season since 2014.
But Sanders slid from Round 1 to Round 5 as the Cleveland Browns traded up to secure a potential starting quarterback for the 2025 season.
His slide was the biggest storyline of draft weekend. Now, a Colorado Buffaloes fan is seeking $100 million in damages in a lawsuit filed against the NFL for Sanders’ drop to the fifth round, according to a filing obtained by USA TODAY.
The plaintiff – referred to as John Doe in the filing – alleges in the complaint that ‘the NFL’s actions and the dissemination of slanderous statements have caused severe emotional distress and trauma.’
Per the filing, Doe is a Georgia resident and a ‘dedicated fan of Colorado football’ who attended the Colorado vs. TCU football game in 2023. The Buffaloes won 45-42 as Sanders completed 38 of 47 passes for 510 yards and four touchdowns.
Doe alleges that the reports of Sanders’ performance in interviews ‘contributed to a narrative that has unjustly harmed his reputation as and potential as a player.’
The filing alleges the NFL violated:
- The Sherman Antitrust Act because teams colluded to influence Sanders’ fall to the fifth round;
- The Civil Rights Act because that fall ‘may have been influenced by racial discrimination’
- Consumer protection laws because the league misrepresented the ‘nature of the drafting process and qualifications of players.’
The plaintiff is seeking $100 million in punitive damages.
The lawsuit was filed in a U.S. District Court in Atlanta. At the time of publishing, the NFL has not put out a statement in response to the lawsuit.
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