The NFL has been trying hard to make the NFL Draft more suspenseful (perhaps to extend the time for sponsoring reasons). But one NFL team was apparently not on board with that idea – much to the league’s displeasure.
According to NFL insider Peter King, a Detroit Lions official revealed that the league got made at the team for quickly turning in their draft card. After the Jacksonville Jaguars took Travon Walker No. 1 overall, the Lions submitted the pick of Aidan Hutchinson just one minute later.
“We turned the card in so fast the league got mad at us,” a Lions official told King.
The NFL reportedly told the Jacksonville Jaguars to run the clock before making their No. 1 pick. Even though the Jaguars were probably ready to make the selection the second the draft began, the Lions apparently thought they were exempt from that same policy.
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Gone are the days where a team could have the No. 1 draft pick ready the moment Roger Goodell steps to the podium. Back in 2009, Matthew Stafford had already signed his rookie contract before the pick was even made.
But the NFL has turned the NFL Draft into a massive event with celebrity draft pickers, fan events and everything in between. It’s arguably their biggest event next to the Super Bowl itself in terms of production cost.
Judging by how they reportedly reacted to the Lions picking quickly, they want to keep the event a certain length.
We’ll see if the NFL responds by mandating certain wait periods before turning in the card.
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