Boo birds circling Goodell, NFL Draft on calendar
The NFL Draft is coming to Tarrant County.
Fourteen cities bid on the three-day spectacle, and the NFL awarded the league’s marquee off-season event to AT&T Stadium. It came to fruition even though commissioner Roger Goodell and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones have been at odds this season.
The draft is a three-day event, April 26-28, featuring the top players from around the country. Though the highlight might be when former players announce draft picks on the second day. Who can forget the memorable rant former Cowboys receiver Drew Pearson went on in ripping the city of Philadelphia while selecting second-round pick Chidobe Awuzie?
“I think the league chose to come here because Texas is the heart of football, and this is where the game is strong and is viable, and probably more so than any other part of the country,” said Charlotte Jones Anderson, Cowboys executive vice president/chief brand officer.
This year should feature plenty of similar highlights with college stars such as Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield and SMU’s Courtland Sutton possibly in attendance as projected first-round picks.
Why is it important?
The NFL Draft is a must-see event for football fans and even non-football fans. Plenty of entertainment outside of the draft itself will be on hand, ranging from parties to bands to festivities.
And it’s a boon for the local economy. Last year, a record 250,000 visitors went to Philadelphia for the draft and generated $94.9 million in economic impact. This is on the level of getting a Final Four or NBA All-Star Game or Wrestlemania to town.
“Philadelphia raised the bar by taking the Draft to another level, and this new opportunity in Dallas will enable us to continue the event’s evolution and grow it even further,” Goodell said after the announcement.
Key people
Jerry Jones: The polarizing Cowboys owner will surely make his presence felt throughout the draft. He’ll surely be using his chopper to fly from the Cowboys’ war room in Frisco to the actual event in Arlington.
Roger Goodell: The NFL Commissioner has become a villain-esque character to football fans. He’s been booed before (including last year in Philly) and he’ll surely be greeted with plenty of boos in North Texas after how he handled the Ezekiel Elliott suspension. Is there a city that would cheer Goodell?
Lamar Jackson/ Josh Rosen: Jackson, Louisville’s quarterback who won the 2016 Heisman Trophy, and Rosen, UCLA’s standout junior quarterback, are the most likely top overall picks at this point. Plenty of attention will be on them as they try to earn the top overall spot in this year’s draft.
Numbers to know
1
This is the first time the draft has been held at an NFL stadium, and also the first time for the draft to be held in Texas. It’s longtime home had been New York (1965-2014) before going to Chicago (2015-16) and then Philly (2017).
7
Draft rounds.
256
Total number of selections throughout the draft. No. 256 is known as “Mr. Irrelevant.”
This story was originally published December 24, 2017 at 3:27 PM with the headline "Boo birds circling Goodell, NFL Draft on calendar."