One of the dominant stories of last month’s NFL Draft was the precipitous drop of former University of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Many experts and practically all of the sports media had Sanders, the son of football and baseball legend and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, pegged to go in the first round, but the Cleveland Browns waited until the fifth round to sign up. The massively hyped prospect wound up becoming the 144th overall pick.
As people started to speculate what happened to the sport media darling, stories began to emerge. Sanders allegedly came across as arrogant and off-putting in team interviews, and he reportedly didn’t take his workouts seriously. There was also the concern that Deion Sanders would interfere too much with any deal his son made with a team.
Sanders may well become a superstar in the NFL, but his is a cautionary tale that hot young prospects should learn from. Hopefully, he’s learned some lessons, too.
Related: A Totally Not Unbiased Look at My Favorite Stories From the NFL Draft
Instead of the head-scratching and speculation about Sanders that the vast majority of sports fans are engaging in, one man in Georgia is taking drastic action. This man is suing the NFL over Sanders’ drop in the draft.
WSB-TV reports that “one fan in Georgia claims in a new lawsuit that the NFL conspired against the son of Falcons legend and Colorado coach Deion Sanders.” Seriously.
The report continues:
The fan, only identified as “John Doe,” filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Northern District of Georgia federal court on May 1.
According to the lawsuit, “John Doe” followed Shedeur Sanders’ collegiate career as a fan of the Buffaloes and traveled to games “witnessing firsthand Sanders’ exceptional talent and potential as a quarterback ...”
The fan claims that reports of Sanders’ “tanked interviews” and characterization that he “was too cocky” harmed his draft stock.
Side note: Notice this guy doesn’t have the guts to give his name. He understands the ridicule he’s in for if his name gets out there.
“The fan and his attorney have accused the NFL and its teams of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act, the Civil Rights Act, and consumer protection laws,” WSB reports. “They are asking for the league to acknowledge the fan’s emotional distress, apologize for ‘slanderous statements’ that may have harmed Sanders’ reputation, and implement fairer draft practices.”
There’s one problem with the WSB report: there’s no attorney. The guy is representing himself.
“The plaintiff is proceeding both pro se (representing himself) and in forma pauperis (citing financial inability to pay the filing fee of $405),” reports NBC Sports. “The language of the document displays a very basic understanding of the civil justice system, given the way the document was formatted and typed.”
For Our VIPs: Here Are Some 2025 NFL Draft Picks I'd Rather Hear About Than Shedeur Sanders
NBC Sports calls this lawsuit “the legal equivalent of a prank call” and adds, “it seems like a stunt. A prank. Something to get some temporary attention before everyone figures out it’s not real.”
Maybe it is a prank or a stunt. But one thing is true: if “John Doe” is serious about this lawsuit, he’s making a joke of our legal system. Maybe he ought to sue ESPN for overselling Sanders to its audience while he’s at it.
Sports are a lot of fun, but sometimes it can be tough to cut through the woke nonsense that has invaded every part of our culture these days. You can help us report on culture through an unfiltered lens by becoming a PJ Media VIP. Not only does your VIP membership come with some terrific benefits — exclusive content, podcasts, access to the comments section, and an ad-free experience — but it also helps us stay independent and avoid the self-appointed gatekeepers of the left-wing narrative.
It’s all a great value on its own, but if you use the promo code FIGHT, you’ll get 60% off! There’s never been a better time to join the cool kids as a PJ Media VIP.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member