Photo courtesy: Brent Durken/Cleveland Browns

The Toronto Argonauts no longer own the CFL rights to controversial NFL quarterback Shedeur Sanders, removing him from their exclusive negotiation list on Friday.

Sanders was added to the list back in April, after he fell to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft due to concerns over his arm strength, attitude, and celebrity ego. However, he has started the last four games for the Cleveland Browns due to injury and is expected to remain at the helm for the remainder of the season.

In five total NFL appearances as a rookie, the 23-year-old has completed 52.2 percent of his passes for 946 yards, five touchdowns, and six interceptions. He has also rushed for 74 yards and a major, while being sacked 13 times.

Shedeur is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders and was coached by his father throughout his high school and collegiate career. Nicknamed “Prime Time” for his over-the-top confidence and elite playmaking ability, the elder Sanders garnered significant media attention after taking over as the head coach at the University of Colorado in 2023, which also extended to his son.

The Tyler, Texas native completed 74 percent of his passes for 4,134 yards with 37 touchdowns against 10 interceptions during 13 games in his senior season with the Buffaloes last year. The six-foot-one, 212-pound QB was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and second-team All-American after leading Colorado to a 9-4 record.

In two seasons with the Buffaloes, Sanders completed 651-of-907 passes (71.8 percent) for 7,364 yards, 64 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. In 2024, he was named first-team All-Big 12 and won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the country’s top underclassman quarterback.

Prior to arriving in Boulder, Sanders played two seasons at Jackson State University, winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and the Deacon Jones Award as the top Historical Black Colleges and Universities player in 2022. In 2021, he won the Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in the FCS.

CFL teams can claim the rights to up to 45 players via the negotiation list on a first-come, first-served basis, provided that they are not eligible for the Canadian or Global Drafts, and have never played in the league before. These players can be added, traded, or removed from the list at any time.

Being added to the negotiation list does not mean that the player has expressed interest in the CFL, and many are unaware that their rights have been claimed. Players can only force their removal from the list if the team does not provide them with a minimum contract offer at their request.

Sanders’ CFL rights can now be claimed by any of the other eight franchises, if they so choose. The Argos still have the negotiation list rights to his brother, Shilo, who is currently a free agent.

The Browns have already been eliminated from playoff contention and sit last in the AFC North with a 3-11 record. They will host the Buffalo Bills (10-4) on Sunday, December 21, at 1:00 p.m. EST.