The NFL Draft looked a lot different last year near the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and there will be plenty of restrictions in place still for this year’s event. However, some fans will be happy to hear that bro hugs from the commissioner are back.
During a draft conference call on Friday, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe asked if NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will be able to high-five and hug players again this year after calling their names on draft day. The short answer is yes, because Goodell is fully vaccinated.
On an NFL Draft conference call, @BenVolin asks the question that matters: "Will there be bro hugs?"
Answer: No rule preventing the players on site from celebrating however they'd like with Roger Goodell or whomever. Goodell is vaccinated and it's a brief moment.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 23, 2021
Goodell hosted the NFL’s fully virtual draft last year and announced picks from his basement. An in-person draft will be held this year in Cleveland, with the NFL saying roughly 50,000 fans will be present at the site of the event per day.
Last year’s draft was a success despite some of the extremely bizarre setups teams had. Many questioned whether the NFL should actually hold the event on-schedule, but they managed to pull it off. Between Goodell hugging players and fans in attendance, the 2021 Draft should feel a lot more normal.
