The prank call heard around the NFL Draft world was no laughing matter for the league.
According to multiple reports from prominent NFL insdiers, the league is launching an investigation into the prank call that victimized quarterback Shedeur Sanders as he awaited selection during rounds two and three of the NFL Draft on Friday.
An NFL official said the league is looking into how Shedeur Sanders’ private number was leaked and then used for this prank call: pic.twitter.com/h5P1CIIQlI
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 27, 2025
Regarding the leaking of Shedeur Sanders’s private, NFL-only cell phone number being leaked that led to a cruel draft-day prank call, an NFL spokesman says “We will look into the matter.”
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) April 27, 2025
As the New Orleans Saints were preparing to pick quarterback Tyler Shough during the second round on Friday evening, Sanders received a call on his NFL-issued phone, purportedly from Saints GM Mickey Loomis. However, on the other end of the line were two seemingly college-aged kids who obtained the number to Sanders’ league-issued phone and posed as the Saints executive.
The pranksters, who released a video from their perspective on social media, told Sanders he’d “have to wait a little longer,” before getting drafted, leaving the Colorado star confused while he streamed his draft day experience live on Twitch.
The NFL will surely be investigating how someone outside the league obtained the phone number given to Sanders specifically for draft-related communications. Some online are speculating that one of the participants in the prank is the son of a current NFL coach.
Given just how big of a story Sanders’ eventual slide to the fifth round was, it’s important that the NFL figures out how to prevent similar pranks from taking place in the future. Interestingly, Shedeur Sanders was not the only victim of this type of hoax.
According to Fox Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Penn State TE Tyler Warren received a similar call during the first round on Thursday night.
Sources: Penn State TE Tyler Warren was also prank called during the draft, receiving a call when the #Jets were on the clock at No. 7. I’m told Warren’s camp believes it was the same number and/or area code involved in the Shedeur Sanders prank on Friday night.
NFL teams have… pic.twitter.com/dJrF9Ir22s
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 27, 2025
Last year, Cooper DeJean got the same treatment before he was eventually selected by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Cooper DeJean got PRANK CALLED during the NFL Draft 🤬#NFL #Eagles #Drafted pic.twitter.com/TZxON1lAhr
— G.O.A.T. Farm Sports (@GOATfarmmedia) August 9, 2024
