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ESPN cuts Shedeur Sanders' party feed over rival coverage on screens

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Steven Corder | Last updated Apr 25, 2025 1:52 AM ET

ESPN found itself in an awkward situation during the 2025 NFL Draft when its live feed of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders abruptly froze on screen.

The moment came late in the first round, after Sanders slid down the board. When the Pittsburgh Steelers passed on him at No. 21, selecting Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon instead, ESPN cut to a live shot of Sanders’ draft party in Canton, Texas.

But the feed didn’t last long.

Almost immediately, the image froze after revealing Sanders’ living room televisions were tuned to NFL Network’s coverage of the draft. ½The screen prominently displayed insider Ian Rapoport, which many speculated triggered the network’s quick reaction.

ESPN cuts to Shedeur Sanders house, which had the NFL Network and @RapSheet on and the picture immediately freezes. TV business is so dirty. pic.twitter.com/Hh8KvTbX4O
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) April 25, 2025

The moment highlighted the often petty rivalry between sports media giants. ESPN, which heavily promotes Schefter as its lead NFL insider, likely wasn’t thrilled to see Rapoport’s face front and center on a competing broadcast—especially during one of its most high-profile events of the year.

As for Sanders, the spotlight remained on him even as he went undrafted in Round 1.

After being linked to teams like the Giants, who ultimately selected Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart with the 25th pick, Sanders will now have to wait until Day 2 to find out his NFL future. Coverage resumes Friday at 7 p.m. ET, with all eyes still on the Colorado star quarterback.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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