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The 2025 papal conclave has concluded with the election of Pope Leo XIV, marking a historic moment as he becomes the first American-born pope. While Vatican City celebrated, NFL fans found an unexpected way to tie the event to football-specifically, Shedeur Sanders' extended wait to be drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Sanders, who was finally selected 144th overall in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns, spent significantly more time on the draft board than analysts expected. Fans quickly pointed out that the College of Cardinals needed only two days and four votes to elect a new pope-roughly the same amount of time it took for Sanders to find an NFL home. The comparison quickly became a viral joke across social media.
Much of the humor was aimed at Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN's longtime draft analyst who was outspoken in his frustration over Sanders' slide. Fans poked fun at Kiper, joking that he was likely furious that the Vatican didn't select the quarterback instead. One tweet read, "Whoever the new pope is, Mel Kiper will be furious it's not Shedeur Sanders." Others imagined Kiper ranting on ESPN about the Cardinals ing on Sanders, sarcastically criticizing Vatican decision-making as if the election were an NFL draft blunder.
The social media buzz continues
The comparisons extended to the evaluation of Leo XIV himself. Fans joked that "we won't see how good this Pope is until we see him in action", while others sarcastically suggested that the Vatican "just doesn't have a clue when it comes to evaluating Popes". The absurdity of linking the papal election to the NFL Draft only fueled the viral conversation further, turning Sanders into an unexpected punchline.
Despite the social media spectacle, Sanders now has an opportunity to prove himself in Cleveland. The Browns, who selected him alongside fellow quarterback Dillon Gabriel, have a crowded QB room, but with Deshaun Watson potentially sidelined due to an Achilles injury, there could be a path for Sanders to earn playing time. Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native, steps into his own leadership role, taking over for the late Pope Francis just a year and a half after being elevated to cardinal status.
While the comparisons may be purely for entertainment, they highlight how Sanders' draft position became one of the biggest talking points of Draft Weekend. Whether he'll prove his doubters wrong in Cleveland remains to be seen-but one thing is clear: NFL fans will always find a way to blend sports and culture in the most unexpected ways.