
Shedeur Sanders fan sues NFL for $100 million over ‘emotional distress' caused by low draft pick
A crestfallen Shedeur Sanders enthusiast is suing the NFL for $100 million over the much-hyped quarterback's disappointing fifth-round draft pick, claiming he suffered 'emotional distress and trauma… as a fan and consumer' because the 23-year-old phenom wasn't selected earlier.
'It was immediate frustration,' the fan, who filed the federal lawsuit as 'John Doe,' told The Independent, on the condition his real name not be published. '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, 55, described draft day as 'one of the biggest days' of a player's life.
'And to have all the NFL owners collude and not draft him, it was mentally frustrating and debilitating,' Doe, who said he has no personal connection to Sanders, went on. 'For them to believe that they can just do this and there's no recourse, it has to stop.'
The Cleveland Browns ultimately picked up Sanders, a standout player at the University of Colorado and the son of NFL legend and current Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, 144th overall on the third day of last month's pro draft. Multiple reports blamed Sanders's allegedly vainglorious attitude during the pre-draft process as a major reason for his regrettable showing; one NFL front office exec told NBC Sports that the pro hopeful behaved as if he was being 'recruited,' not as if he was being 'interviewed' for a roster spot.
As for Doe's 'collusion' allegation, the notion has already been shot down by NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter, who said last week on 'The Art Of Dialogue' podcast that Sanders and his famous dad 'overplayed their hand.'
Some fans have suggested owners agreed not to draft Sanders as a way to punish him for his dad's intense messaging and hype around the quarterback.
Doe, who owns a small logistics company in the Atlanta area, is representing himself in court. He said on Monday that he used a pseudonym in an effort to shield his business from the spotlight as he pursues his admittedly peculiar claim. ('The Court offers no opinion on the propriety of Plaintiff filing this action under the pseudonym 'John Doe,'' Magistrate Judge Christopher Bly wrote in an order allowing Doe, who claims he is unable to afford the customary filing fees, to proceed without upfront payment.)
An NFL spokesman did not respond on Monday to a request for comment.
Doe, according to his May 2 suit, is a 'dedicated fan of Colorado football and has closely followed Shedeur Sanders throughout the 2023 and 2024 seasons.' It says he attended the first game Sanders played for the Colorado Buffaloes on September 2, 2023, against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs, 'witnessing first-hand Sanders' exceptional talent and potential as a quarterback in Coach Deion Sanders' debut with the program.'
Yet, Doe's suit continues, despite Sanders' 'demonstrated skills and significant attention' from professional teams over the past two years, he was left hanging until Day 3 of the 2025 draft.
'Reports and leaked statements suggested that Sanders ''tanked interviews,' 'wasn't prepared,' and 'was too cocky,' which contributed to a narrative that has unjustly harmed his reputation and potential as a player,' Doe's suit contends. '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.'
Doe alleges in his suit that the NFL violated the Sherman Antitrust Act, claiming team owners unfairly conspired 'to influence the drafting process… [and] to restrain trade and limit competition within the league,' that the 'decisions made regarding Sanders may have been influenced by racial discrimination, violating his rights as a player,' that the NFL 'may have engaged in unfair practices by misrepresenting the nature of the drafting process and the qualifications of players,' and that the league's '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.'
Aside from the $100 million in punitive damages Doe is seeking for the 'impact of the NFL's actions on his emotional well-being,' he is also asking the NFL for a 'formal acknowledgment… regarding the emotional distress caused by their actions and statements,' an apology and 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.'
However, as law professor Eugene Volokh wrote for Reason, Doe's case 'is going nowhere.' His claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress is flimsy, at best, and Doe does not have standing to bring such a case, according to Volokh. Further, he argued, Doe's contention regarding the NFL's supposed unfair practices is 'too vague to analyze.'
'I expect the court to indeed promptly dismiss it as frivolous,' Volokh wrote.
Doe told The Independent that he calculated the $100 million figure based upon his own 'emotional distress,' plus 'the amount of money that [Shedeur] lost by being the 144th pick.' (On 'The Art of Dialogue,' Cris Carter estimated that Sanders's late pick reduced his earnings by as much as $50 million.) When asked if he would offer to share any windfall with Sanders, were Doe to win his case, he said he would 'probably donate part of the proceeds to some local football associations to help the youth.'
Doe said he believes 'the NFL needs to be on alert,' even though he is fully aware he faces 'an uphill battle.'
'I don't have a legal team in place yet, and I am still trying to find [one] that would assist in this endeavor,' Doe said. 'I just want people to know that whenever they're feeling like they have no power, that there is always a way for you to gain power. The court system in the U.S. was established so that everyone could be heard. I believe that the NFL thinks that they're above the law and that they can just conduct business any kind of way that they choose to.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Record
34 minutes ago
- Daily Record
New Madeleine McCann documentary uncovers chilling evidence linked to suspect Christian Brueckner
A chilling new documentary has unearthed disturbing evidence linked to Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner — including children's items, a damning hard drive, and a story describing a girl 'not older than five.' A new documentary has revealed disturbing new evidence connected to Christian Brueckner — the chief suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. 'Madeleine McCann: Inside the Secret Evidence' presents a series of allegations and circumstantial findings said to point toward Brueckner's possible involvement in the 2007 disappearance of the toddler in Praia da Luz, Portugal. Among the discoveries were children's swimming costumes and toddler toys reportedly found at the 48-year-old's property. The documentary also highlights the presence of guns, a mask, and unsettling fictional stories where Brueckner allegedly describes using chemical ether to abduct a mother and her child. One document reportedly places Brueckner at the location of a previous search for Madeleine, during which he allegedly remarked that 'she did not scream' while discussing the missing child with an associate. In one disturbing passage, Brueckner is said to have written: "A very small girl enters the room. She's definitely not older than five. "Blonde, long hair tied in pigtails bounces cheekily back and forth as she comes towards me. I feel like I'm in paradise right now." The film also uncovers an 80GB hard drive said to contain incriminating material, including a laptop key. The existence of this hard drive is believed to have been a turning point in prompting police to relaunch parts of the investigation, reports the Mirror. Location data from the drive allegedly places Brueckner near the Arade Dam in Portugal — a site previously searched by authorities. Brueckner, a convicted paedophile, has long denied any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance. However, the new documentary adds further weight to concerns about his past. One former neighbour, who lived in the same Portuguese town where Madeleine vanished, described Brueckner as volatile and aggressive. Speaking to The Independent, the neighbour said: "If I was riding past and he'd be standing outside, we'd say hello, you know, how are you." She added: "Nothing more. Then we found out he was a really nasty piece of work." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. German police named Brueckner as a prime suspect in the case in 2020, but no charges have been filed in connection to Madeleine's disappearance. German and Portuguese police and firefighters carried out a three-day search of an area near Praia da Luz last week in the latest efforts to find out what happened to the missing child. Brueckner is due to be freed from a German jail in September after completing his sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old US woman in Praia da Luz, Portugal in 2005. Hazel Behan, 41, from Ireland, who alleges she was raped at knifepoint by Brueckner said last week she fears he will seek her out following his release from prison. Brueckner was acquitted by a German court in relation to the charge of violent rape of Ms Behan at her apartment in Praia da Rocha in Portugal's Algarve. She said: 'His sentence may be ending but mine never did. I have lived with fear every day for 21 years. 'Fear that I'll see him. Fear that he'll find out where I live and hunt me down. I also have fear that he'll do to someone else what he did to me. 'I've called him out in a public forum and I have genuine concern he could confront me. 'I wouldn't put anything past a person like him. 'If he is released, I will worry for every woman and child who, like me, believes the justice system is protecting them. 'A leopard doesn't change his spots.'


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Cowboys draft bust Kelvin Joseph is released on bond after DUI arrest and 'confessing to role in fatal crash'
Former Dallas Cowboys second-round draft pick Kelvin Joseph Jr. has been released on a $26,000 bond from a Texas jail after allegedly confessing to his role in a traffic collision that killed a motorcyclist early Saturday morning. The 25-year-old cornerback was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated and collision involving personal injury or death after a crash that killed 27-year-old Cody Morris of Plano, Texas. Richardson Police Department responded to a report of a fatal motorcycle crash at 4:50am on Saturday. Within an hour, Richardson PD said Joseph called to say he was involved in the crash that killed Morris. When police encountered Joseph, they said they 'observed signs of intoxication,' leading to his arrest, according to a press release. Joseph was believed to be traveling northbound on North Central Expressway in a BMW sedan when he collided with the motorcycle. Morris was a married mother of two who was said to be an avid motorcyclist. A Baton Rouge native, Joseph began his college career with his hometown LSU Tigers before transferring to Kentucky and being picked by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. After an uninspiring season in Dallas, Joseph was traded to the Miami Dolphins but appeared in only four games as a backup before being released in November of 2023. He would go on to sign practice squad deals with the Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings before joining the upstart United Football League in February. A UFL spokesman responded to the arrest in a statement provided to Daily Mail: 'We are aware of the incident and are gathering information. We have no further comment at this time.' Back in April 2022, Dallas police spoke with the then-Cowboys star as a 'person of interest' in their investigation over a fatal shooting that had occurred at a Lower Greenville nightclub the month prior. After he met with investigators, he was eventually cleared of all charges while two other suspects were arrested.


Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Pats coach: QB Drake Maye's leadership skills 'a work in progress'
June 9 - New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye proved his football skills during a solid 12-start rookie campaign. Heading into 2025, head coach Mike Vrabel wants to see his young signal-caller improve his leadership skills. "I think that there is a lot of room to grow," Vrabel told reporters Monday, noting that Maye is just 22 and early in his pro development. "I think there's a lot of natural leadership qualities. I think I have to encourage him, continue to encourage him and to put him in those positions to do that so that the players understand that there's a different version of all of us," Vrabel said. "There's one that's maybe off the field, there's one in the meeting room, and then there's a version on the field, which we all have to understand is somewhat different than what it may be off the field." Vrabel, entering his first season as the head coach in New England, said leadership isn't the exclusive property of a quarterback. Vrabel should know, having been a leader of the Patriots' defense as a linebacker during the 2000s before coaching the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23. "I don't think it matters if you're a quarterback, offensive lineman, running back or defensive back. It's about your ability to reach certain players," Vrabel said. "Again, we don't want to have any gaps. Hopefully, you know what to do, you're prepared, you do things the right way, you're a good listener. "I think you can adapt to what happens and adapt to the people you're talking to maybe based on what they need. Sometimes people need a little different encouraging, and sometimes you need a little bit of a firmer hand and maybe a little bit of a firmer stance. I think that's all important of understanding and getting to know each person before you can start to lead them." Vrabel was asked whether Maye has been able to push his teammates without pushing their buttons or worrying about how his leadership style might affect his popularity. "I think that's evolving and that's a work in progress," he said. "I think we're all learning each other a little bit. I think we're all learning the system and learning the plays, and once we master it, I think that's going to start to separate itself." Maye made the Pro Bowl and went 3-9 as a starter last year after being drafted No. 3 overall. He passed for 2,276 yards with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. --Field Level Media