Shane Gillis roast of Shedeur Sanders at ESPYs goes viral: Was it a joke or a reality check?
Only Shane Gillis could light a fire on national TV and smile while doing it. At the 2025 ESPYs, the comedian took the stage with the subtlety of a sledgehammer and Shedeur Sanders caught the brunt of it.
His joke? A not-so-gentle jab at Shedeur's jersey retirement at Colorado and the ever-lingering whispers of nepotism. And yeah, the internet is very divided over it.
Shane Gillis calls out Shedeur Sanders' jersey retirement with a brutal one-liner
During his monologue, Gillis didn't waste time going there. He delivered this line with classic deadpan delivery:
'Shedeur Sanders had his jersey number retired at Colorado this year, and people are saying it's because of nepotism because of his father, and it's not. It's because he went 13‑12 over his career and he almost won the Alamo Bowl. Definitely not nepotism… right?'
— NFL_DovKleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman)
Ouch.
The crowd gave that uncomfortable half-laugh, half-gasp you hear when everyone's wondering if the cameras will cut away. But for those who've followed Shedeur's journey or the drama surrounding his jersey being retired,, it hit right in the middle of a long-brewing controversy.
The jersey retirement was already controversial way before Gillis said anything
Back in April, Colorado shocked fans by announcing they were retiring two jersey numbers: Travis Hunter's #12 and Shedeur Sanders' #2. The twist? Both players had just wrapped up their second season with the Buffs.
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While Hunter's Heisman-level performance made some sense, Shedeur's 13–12 record had critics raising their eyebrows.
And yeah, being the head coach's son didn't help quiet the 'nepotism' narrative.
Several former Colorado players publicly questioned the move. One called it 'asinine.' Others pointed out that legends like Eric Bieniemy and Darian Hagan didn't even get that honor. So, when Gillis called it out, he wasn't exactly plucking a joke out of thin air, he was roasting a very real, very public debate.
This isn't just about one joke, it's about legacy, favoritism, and where the line is drawn
This whole drama taps into a much bigger conversation: when does honoring talent become favoritism? Deion Sanders has always been a headline machine whether it's cutting nearly an entire roster or elevating his sons to top spots. And while Shedeur has the stats and spotlight to back up his NFL draft pick with the Browns, many still question whether Colorado retired his jersey because of his numbers or his name.
That's what made Gillis's roast land the way it did, it wasn't just a punchline. It was a mic drop on a debate that's far from over.
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