Normally when you’re talking about the NFL draft you can’t help the excitement build up inside! It’s like a holiday season for football fans all around the world, eagerly anticipating the arrivals of the newest stars of the sport. And you know what’s even better? The fact that the NFL draft has been hosted in a lot of different cities over the years! That’s right, if you’re a big football fan and you’re curious about which cities have held the NFL draft, then you’ve come to the right place.
Believe it or not, the NFL draft has been held in over thirty different cities. Starting in 1936 with the inaugural draft in Philadelphia, almost every major city in the country has held the NFL draft at some point in it’s storied history. It’s been held in much smaller cities as well, with Mobile, Alabama, home to the 1994 draft and New York City having the honor of hosting the draft for the past fifty years. The 2017 draft was held in Philadelphia, drawing more than 200,000 fans and lighting up the night sky with NFL banners and colors, much like it did so many times in the past.
From Los Angeles to Detroit, Cleveland to Houston, the NFL draft has left its mark all across the United States. Seattle, Miami, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore can all lay claim to the NFL draft being held in their city at some point over the years. San Francisco, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Indianapolis, by the time you’re finished reading you’re sure to have a much better idea about how much different cities have been touched by the NFL draft.
No city has hosted the NFL draft more than New York City though. The draft was held there from the early days in the 1950’s up until the 2015 draft, when it moved to Chicago and was held there for two years before moving back to Philadelphia in 2017. During its fifty year run in the Big Apple, New York City saw legendary players such as Walter Payton, Lawrence Taylor, Joe Montana and Dan Marino all get drafted!
While the draft is currently held in multiple cities, it’s thought that the NFL will eventually settle down and choose one city to host the draft for years to come. Teams appear to have chosen the draft capital of the world in recent years, Philadelphia, as the best option – with its beautiful skyline and rich football history. It’s the perfect fit for an event that has meant so much for the National Football League for so many years.
In addition to the big cities, many people may not be aware that the NFL draft has been held in various college football stadiums as well. In early 2020, the draft was held at the historic home of the 2020 College Football National Champion, LSU. This gave college football fans across the country the chance to celebrate with the newest members of their respective professional teams. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was pleased to be in Baton Rouge and he spoke of the history of the great school and its rich football tradition.
The NFL Draft also has a special place for all the fans who can’t make it to their respective cities. The team at the NFL Network has broadcast the draft for years and the last few years has seen them expand their coverage with computer-generated sets, as well as interviews with prospective draftees. It has been an awesome experience for millions of fans who can follow along with the NFL Draft no matter where they are in the world.
To sum up, it’s clear that the NFL Draft has attracted a lot of people in a lot of different cities. From New Orleans to Indianapolis, Philadelphia to New York City – each city showcases the talent of upcoming NFL players and draws in hundreds of thousands of fans with their vibrant environments. The NFL Draft has put smiles on the faces of many young players and fans worldwide and it doesn’t look like it’ll be ending anytime soon!