• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Shedeur Sanders Sits Out Shrine Bowl Practices, Sparking Speculation

Shedeur Sanders has been at the East-West Shrine Bowl meeting with NFL teams, but he hasn’t practiced and won’t play in the college football all-star game.

Shrine Bowl

It’s the week for college football all-star games, as hundreds of hopeful NFL Draft prospects showcase their talents at the East-West Shrine Bowl in Dallas and the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Practices have been underway all week, but perhaps the most notable player at either game has not taken the field: Shedeur Sanders, the former Colorado quarterback who could be selected No. 1 in April’s draft.

Sanders is at the Shrine Bowl, but he won’t play in Thursday night’s game at AT&T Stadium on NFL Network, and opted to not practice this week, either. That’s been a point of contention for some, with varying reports about why Sanders wasn’t taking the field.

Eric Galko, the Shrine Bowl’s director of football operations and player personnel, isn’t bothered by the noise. “We don’t pressure guys to play if they don’t feel comfortable, if they don’t feel healthy, or for whatever reason it may be,” he tells Front Office Sports. “We want guys to practice, and certainly it looks great. But we’re not going to pressure guys.”

Notably, Sanders said he is unsure whether he will throw at next month’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Colorado hasn’t released a date for its pro day, which will likely be held in March.

Game-Time Decision?

One of the theories for Sanders sticking to the sidelines this week was the Titans, Browns, and Giants—who own the first three picks in the NFL Draft—asked Sanders not to practice, according to Yahoo Sports

Another one suggested Sanders agreed to show up in Dallas in exchange for the Shrine Bowl also inviting some of his Colorado teammates (there are seven total there) who otherwise wouldn’t have been there. “He was there basically as a deal made with the East-West Shrine game to help get a lot of their late-round/free-agent prospects from Colorado to be a part of that bowl, and give them an opportunity,” Todd McShay, the former ESPN NFL Draft analyst, said on a recent episode of his podcast at The Ringer.

Galko refutes both of those notions, saying he was informed about a week before Shrine Bowl practices began that Sanders was considering not taking the field. “There was no deal made,” he says.

“It would have been great if he practiced, for sure,” Galko adds. “But him not practicing does not mean that it was all preordained. That was a new development and we still support Shedeur. I think I understand why he made his decision, and we’re still happy he’s here.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jun 2, 2025; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders players celebrate after defeating the Oklahoma Sooners 3-2 and advance to the finals against Texas in the NCAA Softball Women's College World Series semifinal game at Devon Park.

How Texas Tech Put Together Its First-Ever Women’s College World Series Run

AD Kirby Hocutt speaks with FOS about the Red Raiders’ winning formula.

ACC Lawsuits Formally Closed, but How Long Will Peace Remain?

Florida State, Clemson, and the ACC have ended their litigation.
Jan 15, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) talks with an official in the second half against the Buffalo Bills in a 2024 AFC wild card game at Highmark Stadium.

Steelers Email Fans After Mason Rudolph Appears at Friday Trump Rally

Rudolph was joined by a teammate and former Steeler Rocky Bleier.
Dec 26, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

NBA Finals Ticket Prices Down 25%, Still Average Over $1,000

The NBA Finals tip off Thursday in Oklahoma City.

Featured Today

May 27, 2015; Paris, France; Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) knocks the clay off her shoe during her match against Simona Halep (ROU) on day four of the French Open at Roland Garros

Roland-Garros’s Iconic Red-Clay Surface Is a Precise Alchemy

The exact science behind maintaining the French Open’s red clay.
Alex Jensen introductory press conference on Monday, March 17, 2025.
June 3, 2025

Alex Jensen Started Utah Utes HC Job While Still Coaching the Mavs

How Jensen began building an NCAA program while patrolling the Dallas sideline.
May 31, 2025

PSG and the City of Paris Can Join European Soccer’s Elite

What a maiden Champions League title would mean for the French club.
May 30, 2025

How the Champions League Anthem Took on a Life of Its Own

The composer didn’t know he wrote a timeless hit three decades ago.
NCAA Hockey

Gavin McKenna’s College Decision Could Shake Up Hockey Forever

The balance of power could shift from Canada to U.S. colleges.
Mar 22, 2025; Birmingham AL, USA; LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne stretches with teammates before Session 2 of the SEC Gymnastics Tournament at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.
June 2, 2025

House Settlement Is Supposed to Take Effect in July. It’s Still Not..

College sports awaits which athlete compensation rules will govern the 2025 season.
Jan 19, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; The College Football Playoff National Championship trophy at a press conference at The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Savannah Ballroom.
June 3, 2025

As 2025 CFB Season Nears, 2026 Playoff Format Still a Mystery

College Football Playoff leaders are divided on its future.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
Mar 28, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels forward Jaemyn Brakefield (4) rebounds over Michigan State Spartans center Carson Cooper (15) and Mississippi Rebels guard Matthew Murrell (11) in the second half of a South Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at State Farm Arena.
May 30, 2025

SEC Increases Court Storming Fine to $500K—With Caveat

The SEC used to fine schools $500,000 as a third-time offense.
May 29, 2025

Brett Yormark: Big 12 Puts Private Equity and Naming Rights on Pause

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is shifting his conference’s strategy.
May 29, 2025

Former Seton Hall Baseball Player Sues Over Sexualized Hazing

The student says the coach knew about the hazing and failed to act.
May 29, 2025

Brian Kelly Pushes for SEC–Big Ten Alliance. Would It Widen the Gap?

A deal, if completed, would further strengthen college football’s two titans.