Todd McShay was unable to cover the NFL Draft this year for the first time since he joined ESPN in 2006. As you might imagine, that was extremely difficult for him.
McShay revealed just before the draft that he was diagnosed with the coronavirus, and as a result he could not cover the virtual event. He also had to remain away from his family for an extended period of time. During an appearance on Adam Schefter’s podcast this week, McShay admitted that he could not bring himself to watch the draft live. He said things got “really dark” for him in the hospital.
ESPN analyst @McShay13 could not bring himself to watch this year’s NFL Draft as the picks were being made and he was recovering from COVID-19.
https://t.co/oIpIRATnB6 pic.twitter.com/N3co2eLQm6
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 7, 2020
“For whatever reason, I couldn’t watch the draft knowing I wasn’t being a part of it and wasn’t on it,” McShay said. “I felt like I was letting everyone down.”
McShay has been with ESPN since 2006, and he and Mel Kiper Jr. have developed a friendly rivalry over the years that has become synonymous with NFL Draft coverage. It was certainly strange to not have him covering the event, even though the draft was arguably the most popular in NFL history. You can understand why McShay felt crushed to not be a part of it.
