The biggest events across American sports always crown a winner. The Super Bowl champions immediately lift the Lombardi Trophy, the World Series winners celebrate the culmination of the longest season in the country, and the March Madness champions cut down the nets at the Final Four.
In terms of the NFL Draft, winners are delayed and are never fully determined.
Over the course of many hours on the weekend of April 23-25, 257 players’ names were called, making their dreams come true as they entered professional football.
Despite no game being played or one single defining moment, the draft has quickly become one of the most hyped weekends in sports, as the excitement and hope surrounding every pick give fans of all teams something to cheer for.
Over the last ten years, the NFL has taken the draft on the road and has drawn upwards of 700,000 people over the three-day event. Day 1 of the 2025 Draft still had 13.6 million television viewers, a number that has only been surpassed by an NBA game twice in the 2020s.
This year, Pittsburgh was the host and hit a record of 805,000 people.
When Green Bay was announced as the site for last year, I knew I had to attend and be a part of a crowd larger than any game could put together. Since the draft has been a part of my life for over ten years, I was sure to make plans for Pittsburgh’s event this year.
While it can seem like a celebration catered to the home team, the Steelers, every team was well represented, and rival fans could seamlessly walk side by side, which is not always the case on gamedays.
The NFL transformed the banks of the Three Rivers into an NFL fan’s dream, as several experiences could keep fans busy for days.
Even six hours before the first pick would be announced, I noticed that devoted fans would claim their place in the crowd, spending the majority of their day in the hot sun for the best possible spot later that night.
The NFL is still the only major American sport to determine the draft order based directly on the previous season’s records, rewarding the worst teams with the best selections.
For teams like the New York Jets, the Las Vegas Raiders, the New York Giants, and the Cleveland Browns, recent regular seasons are usually filled with disappointment and despair. However, every April, a new chapter is written, and a top prospect is added to spearhead a rebuild.
For these fans, this is perhaps the highlight of the calendar year. Wherever they may be viewing the draft, they are proud to be a fan and do not shy away from taking pride in their team. Even if they believe in the moment that their front office made the wrong selection, one of the country’s best college athletes is joining their team.
Along with fans’ optimism comes the excitement from the players themselves. Each player’s dreams are coming true with one phone call, one announcement, and one moment. No matter if a great prospect is selected to your rival team, you can’t help but congratulate them on their lifelong achievement.
When I happened to run into the Bears’ most recent pick in Dillon Thieneman, I was just as excited to see him as I would have been for a pick from my favorite team. Even being a Packers fan and knowing that my team would have to face him twice a year, I realized that he was just a guy living out his dream, and we were able to put the rivalry aside.
The media’s coverage of the draft focuses heavily on grading each selection and evaluating teams’ draft boards before the players have yet to take the professional practice field. On the broadcast, analysts’ opinions are quickly brought out and, at times, overshadow the moment.
Physically at the draft, none of that matters. Every selection is applauded, with some added excitement as a player in attendance hugs their family, walks down the hall, slaps their new team’s logo, puts on the hat, and has a moment with the commissioner on stage.
There may not be a winner, but the shared excitement for the future of the NFL makes draft weekend unlike any other on the sports calendar.
