First virtual NFL draft gets highest viewership of all time. Here are the highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world in the blink of an eye, and suddenly, our lives have been very different.
Everything seems suspended in time, sports included.
But for a few hours Thursday night, the NFL managed to help us forget about the coronavirus, death tolls and unemployment rates with the first virtual NFL draft.
Viewers, many needing a sports fix, tuned in. According to Deadline, ABC’s coverage of the first ever virtual NFL Draft drew a preliminary 1.6 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic and a record breaking 6.14 million viewers, topping the 2018 NFL Draft which averaged 5.5 million viewers.
The first round aired not just on ABC, but on multiple networks, including ESPN, the NFL Network, and others, and drew in 15.6 million across the board.
Round 1 of the NFL Draft draws 15.6 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes and digital channels. That's a new record. Coverage peaked from 8:45 – 9 p.m. ET with 19.6 million viewers.
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) April 24, 2020
Previously, the high was in 2014 with 12.4 million tuning in across different networks.
Second- and third-round coverage continues at 7 p.m. ET Friday on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network, with the Bengals on the clock with the 33rd pick.
NFL says 15.6M viewers for the Draft’s first round last night, breaking previous high of 12.4M (2014). Also 7M on the streaming Draft-A-Thon.
— Ben Fischer (@BenFischerSBJ) April 24, 2020
What Monday night’s first round lacked in sparkle was made up with elements of a reality TV show.
Earlier this year, the 2020 NFL draft prospects were looking forward to attending the planned ceremony in Vegas, decked out in the glitz and glamour of turning pro. But the coronavirus struck down that dream, and instead of the draft being held in front of the Belliagio Hotel and Casino, the future NFL players were following stay-at-home orders.
Instead of red carpets, the first-round draft picks had their couches.
Instead of TV crews and cameras, the draftees had Zoom.
Instead of media, they had their friends and family.
Instead of draftrooms, the NFL owners, GMs and coaches were armed with latptops and cellphones.
General managers around the league offered fans a glimpse into their homes, complete with makeshift, quaratine-friendly draft rooms. While the teams were ready for any technical problems that might come up during the first night of the draft — including a possible Zoom hackers debacle — not every challenge could be anticipated.
Which made for some hilarious, and unforgettable highlights. Here are the best from Thursday night:
Or course Jerry Jones did the draft from his yacht
Leave it to Dallas Cowboys’ owner and billionaire Jerry Jones to stand out in a crowd by putting his draft room on the water. A smiling Jones and the Cowboys drafted Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with the No. 17 overall pick, from the owner’s ginormous $250 million yacht, a 357-footer named the “Bravo Eugenia.”
Jerry Jones’ draft room is on his $250 million super-yacht. Now that’s a super-flex. pic.twitter.com/ZJwgrUcehX
— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) April 24, 2020
And boy, did Twitter go all in with the jokes:
YOU HAVE 72 HOURS TO DELIVER THE PLUTONIUM pic.twitter.com/B2EbDYIR0w
— SB Nation (@SBNation) April 24, 2020
Jerry Jones yacht has better internet service in the middle of the ocean for the #NFLDraft2020 then I do at home for one zoom meeting. pic.twitter.com/xZZXl7ct5e
— Katie C (@differentkatie) April 24, 2020
I’m sorry I just can’t get over this...
Jerry Jones drafting from his $250 yacht is the most Jerry Jones thing ever— Casey Buscher (@caseybuschertv) April 24, 2020
They could shoot a ‘Pararsite’ sequel at Kliff Kingsbury’s house
Think Jones’ yacht was impressive? Well take a gander at Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s digs:
War Room 2.0 pic.twitter.com/aCh3GYPVCG
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) April 24, 2020
The Cardinals tweeted out this photo while the Cincinnati Bengals were on the clock with the first pick of the draft and we have to say, we found ourselves enamored with Kingsbury’s $4.5 million mansion featuring a sleek, architectural design and stunning backyard. Who did the Bengals pick?
Speaking of the first overall pick ...
When cameras showed Joe Burrow with his parents in his living room in Ohio, he looked rather nervous as he sat on his couch, pensively leaning forward.
I have never seen anything more Ohio than the Burrow family living room pic.twitter.com/zZ36fdsUeI
— Cory McConnell (@CoryMcConnell) April 23, 2020
Of course, Twitter wasn’t about to let the Bengals newest franchise quarterback get away with simply sitting there, so it was meme time.
#WhereIsJoeSitting? pic.twitter.com/QtBqnV6csI
— The Ringer (@ringer) April 24, 2020
#WhereIsJoeSitting? pic.twitter.com/8mrvbKpNyj
— #NBADesktop (@ringernba) April 24, 2020
#whereisjoesitting pic.twitter.com/TtTy1o3PUo
— Trent Johnson (@trentsjohnson) April 24, 2020
Don’t mess with Isaiah Wilson’s mom
When the offensive tackle from Georgia was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the 29th overall pick, Isaiah Wilson’s girlfriend embraced him with a hug, only his mom wasn’t about to have any of lack of social distancing caught on camera.
Isaiah Wilson’s mom is serious about social distancing pic.twitter.com/AiWrxKcXmS
— BroBible (@BroBible) April 24, 2020
When mama says move you better move! pic.twitter.com/c8gH7XAM1S
— MICHAEL LARK (@themichaellark) April 24, 2020
You wanna explain yourself, Mike Vrabel?
OK, it was nighttime and late in the draft, but one of the most hilarious moments came when it was time for the Tennessee Titans to make their first pick. When head coach Mike Vrabel’s house show up on the screen it was ... chaotic, to say the least.
No one:
Literally no one in the history of humankind:
Mike Vrabel's house: pic.twitter.com/08GRDHbym1— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 24, 2020
Kliff Kingsbury looks like a mafia boss/drug cartel and Mike Vrabel is the FBI agent trying to take him down. #NFLDraft2020 pic.twitter.com/zF4R69WlSB
— Coach Vic (@CoachVic21) April 24, 2020
If you need to know, those two in the back are Vrabel’s son Carter and Carter’s friend Jackson. Vrabel explained himself to ESPN.
And no, that wasn’t a reflection of someone on the can in the background.
He does NOT appear to be in the bathroom, stand down pic.twitter.com/pdN4ehgcvk
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) April 24, 2020
Packers trying to catch lightning in a bottle again?
Paging Brett Favre...
In a somewhat familiar move in Green Bay Packers history, the franchise traded up to nab Utah State quarterback Jordan Love with the 26th overall pick. Green Bay gave up the 30th overall pick and a fourth-round selection in order to secure, what’s sure to eventually be, 36-year-old Aaron Rodger’s replacement.
Aaron Rodgers watching the #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Lu9JEcEIfJ
— The Ringer (@ringer) April 24, 2020
Aaron Rodgers needs a new State Farm agent.
— Paolo Uggetti (@PaoloUggetti) April 24, 2020
As Packers fans already know, Rodgers was drafted by the Packers with the 24th overall pick out of Cal as quarterback Favre’s back up in 2005.
CeeDee Lamb’s got some good hands
With the Cowboys on the phone telling CeeDee Lamb he’d just been picked, his girlfriend, Crymson Rose, could be seen on camera reaching for a second cellphone in his lap. Lamb showed off his hands and quickness, retrieving it from her.
The way CeeDee Lamb snatched that phone back (via @mixeduppasha) pic.twitter.com/zi33F4Lp8L
— Overtime (@overtime) April 24, 2020
Everyone can relax — she wasn’t trying to go through his phone and she explained Friday on Twitter:
His agent was FACETIMING him while he was on the phone with the Cowboys, I was doing the GF thing gonna answer it for him sheesh https://t.co/lXR0XUTLJ0
— Crymson Rose (@Crymson_Rose) April 24, 2020