Shockwaves in the NFL Draft: $100 Million Lawsuit Claims Shedeur Sanders Was Unfairly Benched—What Really Went Down?

You ever watch a draft night and think, “Wait… did I just witness the NFL collectively hit the snooze button on Shedeur Sanders?” Because that’s exactly what happened—and then some. This Colorado QB, projected by most as a rock-solid top-three pick—and, let’s be honest, a potential number one—somehow got ghosted by nearly every franchise until the Browns finally snapped him up at 144th overall. Ouch. Now, while we’re all still trying to process how a talent like Shedeur’s slipped that badly, here’s a twist you definitely didn’t see coming: a 55-year-old Buffs fanatic from Georgia has thrown his emotional chips on the table and sued the NFL for a whopping $100 million, claiming the whole ordeal caused him “severe emotional distress.” Seriously. Watching your guy slide five rounds deep apparently pushed this fan over the edge, sparking a lawsuit that throws around words like collusion and racial discrimination—dramatic doesn’t even start to cover it. So now, the question isn’t just “why did Shedeur fall?” but also “will the NFL’s legal team be running in circles over this?” Either way, this saga might keep us all glued to our screens far longer than the 2025 draft night ever did. Curious how it all went down? LEARN MORE.

Few, if any, people thought Shedeur Sanders would slide as far as he did in the 2025 NFL Draft.

After initial projections had him as a sure fire top-3 pick (and in many cases No. 1), the Colorado QB was passed on by every NFL franchise nearly five times before he was finally selected 144th overall by the Cleveland Browns.

That not only cost Shedeur potentially millions of dollars down the road, but according to The Independent, it cost one man his peace — and he’s seeking damages from the National Football League itself.

Per the British-born tabloid, a 55-year-old business owner and self-identified Buffs fan from Georgia filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court on Friday citing “emotional distress” watching Shedeur fall all the way to Day 3 of the draft.

The lawsuit from “John Doe” reads: “It was immediate frustration. 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.”

“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 anonymous man’s filing also points to a racial element that justifies the $100 million in damages he’s seeking. Arguing, “actions and the dissemination of slanderous statements have caused severe emotional distress and trauma to the Plaintiff, resulting in frustration, disappointment, and psychological harm as a fan.”

It’s hard to imagine the NFL will end up having to fork over the nine figures Doe is asking for. But even if the league is forced to argue the case, it’ll at least have to shell out some legal fees — for whatever that’s worth.

Do you see this lawsuit going anywhere? Or will Roger Goodell’s lawyers make quick work of this one?

Related: Colin Kaepernick, Girlfriend Turn Heads At 2025 Met Gala