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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