We all know the media circus surrounding Shedeur Sanders at Colorado and beyond. It does not help that his father is Deion "Prime" Sanders. Shedeur is an extremely talented athlete, but his media persona overshadows his football persona.
Ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders was projected as a first-round pick, but slid into the fifth round. The media lost their minds, including a public meltdown by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. during draft coverage.
One Colorado fan decided to become the ringleader of the media circus and sued the NFL for 100 million dollars after Sanders slid to the fifth round.
A Colorado fan is suing the NFL for causing him "emotional distress and trauma" after Shedeur Sanders fell to the 5th round in the draft.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 6, 2025
He is seeking $100M for the harm the NFL caused to his well-being, plus an apology and a more fair draft process.
(via @MSNBC) pic.twitter.com/RavnzjXnQu
In an absolute JOKE of a lawsuit, this Colorado fan is suing the NFL for what they called "intentional emotional distress and trauma." While this joke is likely to be laughed out of court, it got us thinking. If this fan can sue the NFL for emotional distress over a player, why can't we?
If sliding in the NFL Draft is grounds for a lawsuit, then sliding down the Big Ten standings should be grounds for the Iowa Hawkeyes to sue Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht.
Case No. 09072024: The University of Iowa v. Rocco Becht
Iowa was in control of the Cy-Hawk rivalry heading into 2022. Iowa had won six straight since 2015, but failed to make it seven. The Cyclones won a close 10-7 game in 2022 in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes would get revenge with a 20-13 victory in 2023, but Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht became a thorn in Iowa's side.
Iowa won the 2023 game, but Becht threw for 203 yards and a touchdown against a stingy Hawkeyes' defense. The distress Becht caused the Hawkeye secondary continued in the 2024 Cy-Hawk game.
On September 7, 2024, the Iowa State Cyclones traveled to Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City for the 71st meeting of the in-state rivals. Iowa's offense was struggling (HUGE surprise), but took a 19-13 lead late into the fourth quarter.
With time winding down, Becht launched a missile down the center of the field to future NFL third-round draft pick Jaylin Noel, and he took it to the house for a 75-yard touchdown reception.
The Cyclones held on in the final seconds to secure a 20-19 win and turn the tide in the Cy-Hawk rivalry. After the loss, the Hawkeyes' season all but imploded, and they limped to an 8-5 finish, while the Cyclones finished 11-3 and won the Pop Tarts Bowl (Becht was the MVP).
The emotional distress felt by Hawkeye Nation that day was excruciating, and we should consider bringing it to court. Of course, this is a joke, but who knows? If a random fan can sue the NFL for emotional distress over Shedeur Sanders, why can't we sue over Rocco Becht?