The 2024 NFL Draft is just a week away, meaning we can start looking forward to all the excitement, surprises, major trades and viral moments that come each year. This year, the Chicago Bears are expected to select quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick, but after that, nothing is a guarantee.
Moments in the NFL Draft have led some teams to championships, like the Kansas City Chiefs picking Patrick Mahomes or the New England Patriots drafting Tom Brady. A successful draft can make a massive difference in how a team fares in the future.
The draft is a culmination of months of scouting reports, the combine, team visits and in between the selections often comes some wild moments. From a virtual draft to players declaring they won’t play for the team that selected them, let’s take a look at some of the most iconic NFL Draft moments of the past.
Virtual draft
The 2020 NFL Draft was virtual for safety reasons, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was announcing selections from his basement, making outfit changes and getting more comfortable, going from standing to slouching on an armchair, throughout the night. Fans also noted that a jar of M&M’s in the shot had been slowly diminishing, with Goodell admitting that he was eating them throughout the night.
Belichick’s dog makes picks
During the virtual draft, then-New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick put his dog Nike in the frame of the camera, making it look like the K-9 was the one making draft decisions. The pup was even in front of the computer, seemingly looking at scouting reports.
Vikings miss first-round pick
The Vikings thought they had made a last-minute trade during the 2003 NFL Draft with 32 seconds remaining of the 15 minutes teams gets to make a selection. The Vikings planned to trade down to get the Baltimore Ravens‘ No. 10 pick, along with their fourth- and sixth-round draft picks. The league did not finalize the trade and Minnesota was out of time, leading to chaos and a rare missed selection. It all worked out in the end for the Vikings, who selected five-time All-Pro DT Kevin Williams.
Buccaneers select the wrong player
Teams often select players who do not pan out as they hoped, but usually it’s at least a player they intended on adding to their team. In 1982, the Bucs wanted to pick defensive end Booker Reese from Bethune-Cookman, but instead submitted Penn…
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