A fan of former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is suing the NFL after Sanders wasn’t picked until the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
An unnamed fan in Georgia, who filed the lawsuit as “John Doe,” is [suing the NFL](https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25930033-doe-v-nfl/) for $100 million.
In the lawsuit he alleges that he suffered from “emotional distress and trauma” due to Sanders slide in the draft. Sanders was projected to be a first-round pick but did not get selected until the Cleveland Browns drafted him at No. 144 overall.
The lawsuit states that the plaintiff is a “dedicated fan of Colorado football and has closely followed Shedeur Sanders.” The fan attended the first game for Shedeur Sanders and Deion Sanders at Colorado when the Buffaloes played TCU in 2023, per the lawsuit.
It adds that: “Despite Sanders’ demonstrated skills and significant attention during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the NFL drafted him at the 144th pick during the 2025 NFL Draft.”
The fan blames leaked statements and reports for Sanders falling to the fifth round. He adds that there was a narrative created that “unjustly harmed his reputation and potential as a player.”
“These slanderous statements reflect biases that influenced the NFL’s decision-making process, causing emotional distress and trauma to the Plaintiff as a fan and consumer,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit continues, claiming that there was “collusion” among NFL teams that led to Sanders sliding. It adds that “racial discrimination” also impacted Sanders.
The fan is asking for retracted statements and an apology to Sanders, more fair draft practices moving forward and $100,000,000.
The 55-year-old fan told [_The Independent_](https://www.yahoo.com/news/shedeur-sanders-fan-sues-nfl-171334927.html) that he feels like he has a case.
“It was immediate frustration,” he said. “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.”