Every athlete has a quirky pregame ritual. With the pressure of playing in front of packed crowds and national TV cameras, superstitions often sneak into their routine. And sometimes, it all starts with a go-to meal that gets them locked in.
From sour sticks to burgers to liters of Coca-Cola, athletes have had some wild pregame snacks. But ahead of the NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders revealed a surprisingly healthy choice.
What Does Shedeur Sanders Eat Before Games?
The Colorado Buffaloes superstar is entering the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the two best available quarterbacks. At both Jackson State and Colorado, he was a program-transforming talent, completely flipping their previous records.
Over the last month, he’s been dealing with a brutal schedule after opting out of the NFL Scouting Combine. Instead, he participated in Colorado’s pro day with team meetings and interviews, making for a busy time period.
Sitting down on the latest episode of his podcast, “2Legendary with Shedeur Sanders,” he took out some time to answer some fan questions, with one of the first being, “What’s your favorite snack before the games?”
But, as a committed athlete, Sanders had one of the healthiest answers one could possibly imagine. “Oranges. Orange is my favorite snack before a game. I’ll probably eat like four oranges.”
The latest mock draft from PFSN has the polarizing signal caller going No. 9 to the New Orleans Saints after they potentially lost Derek Carr for the entire 2025 season with a shoulder injury. Making his case, Cameron Sheath had the perfect explanation.
“I originally penciled in this pick with the idea that Sanders could sit for a year. But with Derek Carr now trending towards missing the 2025 season with a shoulder injury, Sanders could find himself thrust into a starting role,” Sheath said.
Well, that would certainly involve a ton of oranges being consumed.
“I do not doubt that Sanders has the mental strength to deal with an immediate starting job, but it would be ideal for him to iron out a few creases before being folded in half by NFL pass rushers,” Sheath argued.
But, in the long run, he also made the case that the decision might be a potential best-case scenario for New Orleans. “With a now-desperate need at quarterback, Sanders would allow the Saints to compete in 2025, while his rookie contract would allow them to balance the books in the long term.”
In a city known for its rich food, Sanders might be bringing the cleanest diet imaginable to New Orleans if the mock draft proves true.