Shedeur Sanders lawsuit, explained: Fan sues NFL for 'emotional distress' from Browns QB draft slide

Shedeur Sanders' draft slide came as a shock to many.

The former Colorado quarterback came into the 2025 NFL Draft as a projected top-5 pick by some insiders, with some scouts high on his potential as an accurate, poised passer. There were certainly indications Sanders could fall from a top-10 status based on pre-draft reports — but just how far he fell, the fifth round, became the story of the draft.

It was the Browns that eventually scooped Sanders up, adding him to a quarterback room that includes two big-name rookies and two veterans with former starting experience. After Sanders' shocking draft slide, one fan is even taking legal action, suing the NFL for "emotional distress" that came as a result of teams repeatedly passing on Sanders in the draft.

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Here's what to know about the unique lawsuit involving Sanders' draft slide.

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Shedeur Sanders lawsuit, explained

The Independent reported Tuesday that an anonymous fan is suing the NFL for over $100 million over Sanders falling to the fifth round in the recent draft. The fan, who filed the federal lawsuit under "John Doe," is claiming that he suffered “emotional distress and trauma… as a fan and consumer” because the former Colorado star wasn't selected earlier than the fifth round.

“It was immediate frustration,” the anonymous fan told The Independent. “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.”

The story details that the "John Doe" filing the lawsuit is 55 years old and has no connection to Sanders. The fan described the NFL Draft as “one of the biggest days” of a player's life, and said it was "mentally frustrating and debilitating" to have NFL owners "collude" and not select Sanders.

There is no indication that the NFL owners agreed not to draft Sanders. His draft slide has been attributed to a few things in reports; one is that he may not be the quarterback prospect that insiders and fans once anticipated, potentially lacking the arm and athleticism to become a long-term NFL quarterback.

Another rumor is that Sanders' draft interviews did not go well, discouraging teams from wanting to draft him as he had a perceived overconfident personality.

The story from The Independent about the lawsuit states that the anonymous fan owns a small logistics company in the Atlanta area and will represent himself in court. He told the outlet that he is using the "John Doe" pseudonym to shield his business from the spotlight of his unique lawsuit.

The lawsuit, which was filed on May 2, claims that the fan is a "dedicated fan of Colorado football and has closely followed Shedeur Sanders throughout the 2023 and 2024 seasons," even attending a game in September 2023. The lawsuit then continues to attribute Sanders' draft slide to "narratives" and "slanderous statements."

“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,” the lawsuit states, per The Independent. “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 fan is alleging that the NFL violated the Sherman Antitrust Act because the owners conspired to "influence the drafting process… [and] to restrain trade and limit competition within the league.” The lawsuit also says that the decisions around Sanders' draft slide "may have been influenced by racial discrimination," and the NFL "may have engaged in unfair practices by misrepresenting the nature of the drafting process and the qualifications of players."

Along with the $100 million the anonymous fan is seeking from the NFL with the lawsuit, he is also requesting that the NFL make a formal acknowledgment and apology about the situation with Sanders and retract the "slanderous statements" made about the quarterback.

Law professor Eugene Volokh wrote for Reason that he is confident that the lawsuit is "going nowhere," calling parts of the lawsuit "too vague."

The fan who filed the lawsuit told The Independent that he is aware he will face 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 told The Independent. “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.”

SHEDEUR SANDERS NFL DRAFT SLIDE: 

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• Winners and losers in Shedeur Sanders draft drama
• Can Shedeur Sanders fulfill NFL dreams in nightmare QB situation?
• Browns QB depth chart after 2025 NFL Draft
• Is Kevin Stefanski on hot seat after Shedeur Sanders pick?
• Comparing Browns rookie QB's Dillon Gabriel & Shedeur Sanders
• Reactions to Shedeur Sanders draft fall, from Trump to Stephen A.
• What we know about Shedeur Sanders' 'unprofessional' pre-draft interviews
• Shedeur Sanders' wild post-draft celebration