Fan Sues Nfl For $100 Million Over Shedeur Sanders’ Draft Drop

A Colorado shot instrumentality has revenge a $100 cardinal suit against nan National Football League, claiming Shedeur Sanders’ autumn to nan 5th information of nan 2025 NFL Draft resulted from a coordinated effort to harm nan quarterback’s reputation. The instrumentality revenge nan civilian suit successful Atlanta nether nan pseudonym “John Doe,” accusing nan NFL of collusion, defamation and violations of national antitrust and civilian authorities laws.

The Los Angeles Times first identified nan plaintiff arsenic Eric Jackson, a Buffaloes instrumentality who revenge nether nan pseudonym but revealed his personality by indicating he represents himself.

Straight Arrow News confirmed done tribunal records that nan plaintiff, Eric Jackson, revenge nan suit nether “John Doe” and will correspond himself. He revenge pro se, a ineligible word meaning he is acting arsenic his attorney.

The title described him arsenic a longtime protagonist of Colorado shot who intimately followed Sanders during nan 2023 and 2024 seasons.

What does nan suit allege?

Jackson revenge nan suit successful nan U.S. District Court for nan Northern District of Georgia. Among nan ineligible claims are violations of antitrust laws, civilian authorities protections and user transparency rules. It besides alleges intentional infliction of affectional distress, claiming nan convention amplified antagonistic narratives that Sanders “tanked interviews,” “wasn’t prepared” and “was excessively cocky.”

The filing claims NFL teams intentionally coordinated to hold Sanders’ selection, ignoring projections that placed him among early picks. The suit argues nan league’s actions damaged Sanders’ image and costs him earnings, distress that nan plaintiff says affected him profoundly arsenic a fan.

What does nan plaintiff want?

Jackson is seeking $100 cardinal successful damages and is asking nan tribunal to compel nan NFL to manus complete scouting reports, question and reply notes, and communications involving Sanders. He believes find will show that nan NFL unfairly downgraded Sanders, who had received higher grades earlier nan draft.

The suit besides requests a nationalist apology and retraction of immoderate defamatory statements astir Sanders. Jackson is pushing for nan implementation of draught reforms to guarantee players are evaluated reasonably and transparently.

How did Sanders execute and why was his draught banal controversial?

Sanders, boy of NFL Hall of Famer and Colorado caput coach Deion Sanders, passed for complete 4,000 yards and 37 touchdowns during nan 2024 season, earning Big 12 Offensive Player of nan Year honors. Despite his on-field production, nan Cleveland Browns did not prime him until prime No. 144 successful nan 5th round, aft drafting different backmost earlier.

NFL insiders, including erstwhile MVP Boomer Esiason, suggested that Sanders’ demeanor turned teams disconnected successful interviews. Some reports claimed Sanders intentionally underperformed successful meetings to debar circumstantial franchises. The suit argues those characterizations were unfair, unfounded and financially damaging.

Is nan suit apt to succeed?

Legal experts said nan lawsuit is simply a agelong shot. USC rule professor Clare Pastore told nan Los Angeles Times that nan plaintiff lacks opinionated and that nan harm described is excessively wide to warrant damages. She called nan $100 cardinal declare “absurd,” noting that emotion upset arsenic a instrumentality doesn’t meet nan ineligible period for affectional distress.

What is nan plaintiff’s goal?

In an question and reply pinch nan Daily Mail, Jackson, still utilizing his John Doe pseudonym, said his extremity is to uncover what he believes is an orchestrated effort to harm Sanders’ draught position. He wants a judge to let grounds that could situation reports astir Sanders’ cognition aliases effort.

Jackson said he took ineligible action because he felt Sanders couldn’t take sides himself against what he sees arsenic unfair treatment. He argues that while Sanders cannot record a defamation declare owed to convention powerfulness dynamics, fans for illustration himself tin still request accountability.

What happens next?

The lawsuit is pending successful national court. The plaintiff has requested to proceed successful forma pauperis, asking nan tribunal to waive filing fees owed to financial hardship. A judge must now determine whether nan suit has capable merit to move forward.

The NFL has not publically commented connected nan suit arsenic of this reporting.