If nothing else, a certain rookie quarterback is giving the NFL a lot of publicity. Not bad for someone who just started working out with the team this week.
The NFL schedule will be released on May 14, but rumors and speculation are already making the rounds. One rumor that’s picking up steam involves the league’s international slate and a high-profile matchup set to take place in London, England.
It all centers around one rookie quarterback who unexpectedly fell deep into the 2025 NFL Draft. Now, many believe he’s having an outsized effect on the league’s schedule.
Is Shedeur Sanders Having an Effect on the NFL Schedule?
According to various reports, the NFL is planning to match up the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns in Week 5 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The two teams last met in London in 2017, but the buzz this time is much bigger—mainly because there’s a chance Shedeur Sanders could be starting for the Browns.
SHEDEUR SANDERS EFFECT ALREADYYYY
— Mr. #1 Hater🤡 (@HaterNo_2)
Some folks think the NFL is already working Sanders into its marketing and promotional campaigns.
Sheduer sanders debut as the starter in London!
— Mile High Joe (@303Lobo)
Others are predicting—jokingly or not—that both the league and team could benefit if Sanders makes his first start on the international stage.
Shedeur in London? https://t.co/1uAHHazeyf
— Michael Clark (@MacIII99)
Speculation is swirling around the Browns’ quarterback situation. There’s an open competition, and every contender is drawing attention—good and bad.
Joe Flacco is the battle-tested vet with a Super Bowl ring and a Comeback Player of the Year award. He’s steady and experienced, but not a long-term solution given his age and falloff because of it.
Kenny Pickett, a former first-round pick, has dealt with injuries and inconsistent play. He’s already been traded twice and was expected to start for Cleveland—until the draft. Now, more people talk about his hand size than his six fourth-quarter comebacks and seven game-winning drives in 18 starts.
Dillon Gabriel put up video game numbers in college at UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon. In 50 games, he racked up 14,865 passing yards, 125 touchdowns, and just 26 interceptions, along with 1,024 rushing yards and 21 scores. But scouts saw him as undersized, which made his third-round selection by Cleveland a surprise.
And finally, there’s Shedeur Sanders, the talk of Cleveland. Once seen as a potential No. 2 overall pick, his draft stock slid. There was chatter he might go ninth or late in the first round. Few, if any, saw him falling all the way to the fifth.
With the schedule release just days away, one thing is certain—NFL fans love a juicy conspiracy theory.
The NFL will release its 2025 schedule in phases beginning May 12, with the full slate dropping May 14.
- NBC – Monday, May 12 on “TODAY”
- FOX – Monday, May 12
- Prime Video – Monday, May 12
- ESPN – Tuesday, May 13 on “Good Morning America”
- CBS – Wednesday, May 14 on “CBS Mornings”
- Netflix – Wednesday, May 14
