The NFL Draft's popularity has led Pittsburgh to close its entire school system for the event. This showcases the NFL's ability to generate immense excitement even without live games.
Key points
Pittsburgh is closing its entire school system for the NFL Draft.
The NFL Draft generates significant excitement without live games.
The event has a history of bizarre and memorable moments.
The NFL's influence surpasses that of other sports.
Itâs a testament to the NFL Draftâs phenomenal growth that the fact the city of Pittsburgh is closing down its entire school system for the draft later this week merits only a nod of the head and a âyep, sounds about right.â Of course Pittsburgh is closing its schools! Shoot, why stop at schools? Why stop at Pittsburgh? Why not shut down the entire economy for a couple days while we wait to see where Ty Simpson ends up?
Yes, all of this pageantry for a glorified job fair is pretty absurd. But the NFL Draft demonstrates beyond any doubt how the NFL is able to command more attention than any other sport ⊠even when thereâs no actual sport to watch. NFL games are more than four months away, and yet the draft whips fans into frenzies worthy of a fourth-quarter, come-from-behind drive.
Thing is, you throw this much spectacle at the wall, and some of itâs going to splatter. Join us as we reminisce about the weirdest, wildest and most ridiculous moments of an event thatâs already high on the strangeness scale. And get ready to booâŠ
The history of the NFL Draftâs never-ending tour
The millions of NFL fans who have enjoyed the leagueâs traveling draft road show over the past decade can thank an unusual and unexpected source: the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.
Yes, really.
For half a century, the NFL Draft called New York City home, and by 2014, the NFLâs draft extravaganza was a key fixture at Radio City Music Hall. But the only organization with more juice at Radio City than the NFL was the world-famous Rockettes dance troupe, and in 2014, the Rockettes kicked â pun very much intended â the NFL out of its traditional late-April draft date into May.
That didnât go over well with the Powers That Be in the NFL, and neither did the news later that year that the Rockettes would likely claim all of April and May at Radio City. Surely the NFL could push its draft to June âŠ?
Nope. The NFL decided to take its show on the road, and that has made all the difference in the 10 years since. What was once a small parade of hopeful future rookies is now an extravaganza to rival the Super Bowl, traveling to cities that may not ever get the chance to host a big game of their own.
Q&A
Why is Pittsburgh closing its schools for the NFL Draft?
Pittsburgh is closing its schools to manage the logistical challenges and heightened attention surrounding the NFL Draft.
What are some memorable moments from past NFL Drafts?
Past NFL Drafts have featured prank calls, trash talk, and various bizarre incidents that highlight the event's unique atmosphere.
How does the NFL Draft compare to other sports events?
The NFL Draft commands more attention than any other sport, generating excitement even when no games are being played.
What is the significance of the NFL Draft in American sports culture?
The NFL Draft is seen as a major event in American sports culture, akin to a job fair that captivates millions of fans and showcases the league's influence.
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01 May 2015: NFL Draft Town located in Grant Park in Chicago,IL prior to rounds 2 and 3 of the 2015 NFL Draft. The NFL Draft is being held at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, IL (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
In its first year on the road, the NFL dubbed Chicago's Grant Park "Draft Town". (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire/via Getty Images)
You know the 2016 draft from:Laremy Tunsilâs unfortunate draft-night revelations
The story: Chicago marked the point where the NFL Draft truly broke contain. No more would the draft be confined to a mere single auditorium; now everyone could get in on the fun. The NFL debuted âDraft Town,â a festival-like gathering, and âSelection Square,â where late-round draftees made their NFL debuts. Draft Town set the standard all cities would follow: a massive, free, fan-focused spectacle with games, food and, of course, merch for sale. Chicago welcomed 200,000 fans that first year.
Perhaps overcome with the joy of the moment, Washington's Danny Shelton, selected 12th overall by the Cleveland Browns, lifted NFL commissioner Roger Goodell like a toddler in 2015 and carried him around the stage.
You know the 2017 draft from: The Bears selecting Mitchell Trubisky second overall when a future three-time Super Bowl MVP named Patrick Mahomes was right there
The story: This is where the traditional âbooing of the commishâ elevated to the level of high art; nobody does booing quite like Philly. This is where the civic pride really kicked in; Cowboys legend Drew Pearson gleefully trolled Eagles fans through a sea of boos. This remains spectacular:
The story: Revenge is a dish best served with a Lombardi Trophy to the teeth, and thatâs what Eagles kicker David Akers did in 2018 in Dallas. Akers torched the Cowboys fans with the truth:
âHey, Dallas! The last time you were in the Super Bowl, these draft picks werenât born!â When youâve got kickers trolling you, itâs time for some self-reflection. To top it off, the Eagles selected ⊠Dallas Goedert.
Nashville (2019)
You know the 2019 draft from: Oakland Aâs first-round draft pick Kyler Murray going No. 1 overall to Arizona
The story: Nashville is where the NFL Draft truly became a capital-E Event. Much to the surprise of NFC East-brained league types, a city not known for its deep NFL roots embraced the league as if it were a bachelorette party. Hundreds of thousands turned out for the festivities, and the sheer scope of the celebration made it clear ⊠the NFL Draft is now a registered league holiday:
Home (2020)
You know the 2020 draft from: Bill Belichickâs dog
The story: Not really a fair entry here, since everybody was home during the pandemic. (We know, we donât want to remember it either.) But it led to indelible images, like No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow in his parentsâ house; Roger Goodell relaxing in his lounger and devouring M&Ms; Bill Belichickâs dog apparently making picks for him; and ⊠whatever the hell was happening in the Vrabel homestead. (And thatâs all weâll say about that.)
Cleveland (2021)
You know the 2021 draft from: The Jaguars drafting Trevor Lawrence No. 1 overall and solving all their problems forever
The story: The spectacle may have outshone the substance here in this particular iteration of the draft. Cleveland was bathing in the glow of the franchiseâs first playoff appearance since 2002 and first postseason win since 1994, and offered up ⊠a Macho Man impersonator.
You know the 2022 draft from: Sam Prince (youâll remember in a moment)
The story: After missing out on the draft in 2020 for obvious reasons, Vegas got another shot in 2022, and didnât disappoint. While organizers scrapped plans from 2020 to have players arrive in boats, there was still plenty of Vegas glitz around every pick â as well as a roughly two-mile walk from the green room to the stage. The best, by far, was Make-a-Wish fan Sam Princeâs selection for the New York Giants of Kayvon Thibodeaux, a scene every bit as ridiculously wonderful now as it was back then:
Also, there was this, from Criss Angel to start Round 2:
The story: It was an embarrassment of riches for Kansas City, which had just hosted a Super Bowl parade a few months before and now hosted the NFL Draft. The sea of hometown jerseys was now a standard expectation; unfortunately, so too was the ongoing decline in on-site green room players. Four went unpicked in Round 1, but only one came back for Round 2: Alabamaâs Brian Branch. Detroit finally picked him 45th overall, but since he hadnât packed a second suit, Branch came onstage in sneakers and jeans. And nobody minded a bit.
The story: If Nashville represented one high-water mark for draft road shows, Detroit raised the bar that much further, setting an all-time draft attendance record of 775,000. As for the memorable moments ⊠Goodell sometimes appears inclined to bathe in the boos, and sometimes takes some shields onstage with him, like local former stars or children. In Detroit, he opted for a civic icon, Eminem, in one of those âThe NFL claims everything nowâ moments.
Still, it was a massive Motor City spectacle, a sign that the NFL Draft is getting only bigger by the year.
You know the 2025 draft from: The endless Shedeur Sanders watch party
The story: Oh sure, Cam Ward went first to Tennessee, and the NFLâs two-way answer to Shohei Ohtani, Travis Hunter, went second to Jacksonville. Good for all involved. The real story of the 2025 NFL Draft was Shedeur Sanders â who was either a first-round talent or a too-entitled nepo baby (or perhaps both), depending on which analyst you consulted. Sanders dropped all the way to the fifth round, but not before he and several others became victims of prank calls purporting to be from team officials. The NFL traced the prank calls back to the son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, and popped both the Falcons and Ulbrich with six-figure fines. Sanders, meanwhile, would continue to be a mystery, both bumbling through the back half of the Brownsâ season and being named to the Pro Bowl. All in a weekendâs work for the NFL Draft.
