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Come Fan with UsSaturday, June 27, 2026

ESPN And NFL Network Will Try Not To Ruin The Surprise On Draft Night

People who love to complain about things often complain about ESPN and the NFL Network showing an NFL draft pick on the phone in the green room before his name is actually announced at the podium by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Basically, the TV networks are tipping the draft pick a minute, or even several minutes, before the Commissioner makes the announcement. This ruins the surprise, you see.

I never understood this, but it makes some people mad. Luckily, we no longer have to worry.

SI’s Richard Deitsch reports that both ESPN and NFL Network have said: “We will not show a draftee on the phone in the Green Room prior to the pick on the first night of the NFL Draft.”

Note that this applies only to the first round of the draft.

You’ll still have to worry about it a little bit, though. While the TV networks agreed not to show a draft pick in the Green Room prior to the pick, I bet they’re still going to have Adam Schefter or Chris Mortensen or Michael Lombardi reporting any early picks, whether that’s on TV or on Twitter.

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