Jamaal Bowman Blasts NFL After Shedeur Sanders Falls in the NFL Draft

Former Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) criticized the NFL after Shedeur Sanders, the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, fell out of the first round of the NFL Draft, claiming that it was due to racism.

In a video posted to X, Bowman claimed that the “NFL doesn’t like” Shedeur” because of how he dresses, and “talks like a rapper.” Bowman noted ways that Shedeur was skilled, compared to other NFL players who have been unable to play their positions. Bowman admitted that he takes it “personal” seeing someone like “slip in the draft” due to the way he talks, dresses, and who is father is.

Bowman’s criticism’s come as President Donald Trump also criticized the NFL owners after Shedeur was passed up in the first round of the NFL draft. In a post on Truth Social, Trump asked if the NFL owners were “stupid” and said Shedeur “should be ‘picked’ IMMEDIATELY by  team that wants to WIN.”

“I expect the Cleveland Browns to select Shedeur Sanders with the first pick in today’s second round of the NFL draft. But, like, the way the analysis of Shedeur Sanders and the way he’s being discussed by pundits is just crazy to me. I keep hearing, ‘He doesn’t have the strongest arm,’ or ‘He doesn’t have the athleticism that jumps off the page.'”

Bowman continued to point out that two years ago, the Indianapolis Colts drafted quarterback Anthony Richardson, and Bowman added that Richardson “can’t play the position.

“Last year, or two years ago, we drafted Anthony Richardson, who has all of that, but can’t play the position. And, Shedeur has everything else, [you] supposedly need — toughness, leadership, intelligence,” Bowman said, adding that Shedeur was “accurate with the football,” and had “anticipation throws.”

“He has all of that, but we don’t draft him,” Bowman continued. “And, like throughout my life, I’ve seen teams draft people like Josh Rosen and Brady Quinn.”

“I don’t know man, it’s just the way y’all talk about him — like, yeah, it’s the, okay you got the football evaluation, and then you got his dad, and what Deion brings to the table as an active father — as an active black father in his black son’s life,” Bowman continued “And, we all know what that is, whether we want to admit it or not. But, it’s not only that — it’s the way Shedeur dresses, it’s the way he talks, and it’s culture, in my opinion.”

“I keep hearing, ‘Oh, he’s entitled. He feels entitled.’ I don’t know, it’s like, entitled? So, like, these white boys that came before him don’t feel entitled? Eli Manning, Archie Manning, when they said he don’t want to play for San Diego, don’t draft me. That’s not entitlement, but that was acceptable, that was okay for him to do that?” Bowman continued. “Shedeur’s not entitled.”

“I just take it personal — and maybe I shouldn’t, but I take it personal when I see someone like Shedeur Sanders, you know, because he talk a certain way and because he wears gold chains, and his pops is Deion and he don’t want to submit to y’all white s**t, he’s going to slip in the draft,” Bowman said.

In response to Bowman’s video, several people took to social media to point out that the NFL is “majority black” and that “the best players get drafted first.”

“Jamaal. Stop,” Anna James Zeigler, a writer with the Resurgent and The Federalist, wrote in a post on X. “If anyone bends over backwards to give black men a chance despite the potential for drama and/or illegal activity, it is the NFL.”

“I’m so damn tired of race hustlers,” Jessica O’Donnell, a social media editor with The Blaze wrote in a post on X. “STFU. The league is majority black, and the best players get drafted first. Picking lesser players based on race is literally a coach signing his own pink slip. The top drafts are black. Bc it wasn’t YOUR guy doesn’t make it racist.”

“Jamaal Bowman with blazin’ hot take: Sanders didn’t get drafted in 1st round because racism,” Tom Bevan, the co-founder and president of RealClearPolitics wrote in a post on X. “Ignore Cam Ward going #1 & also that many pundits who criticized Sanders are black. Bowman should keep his day job – whatever it is these days.”

“Check the demographics of the league before you throw this out there,” one person wrote in a post. “Race baiting at its finest.”

“This TEN MINUTE DIATRIBE is a perfect example of why Bowman is no longer a member of Congress,” another person wrote.