With fans starved for live sporting events, the viewership numbers for Thursday night’s first round of the NFL draft will come as no surprise. The NFL announced it shattered its all-time draft viewership record for night one. The first round averaged more than 15.6 million viewers combined on broadcast, cable and digital viewing. That was up 37 percent over last year. The previous high was the 12.4 million viewers in 2014. ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes and digital channels broadcast the event Thursday night. The TV coverage peaked from 8:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET with 19.6 million viewers. “The theme of hope is always prevalent in the NFL, especially with regard to the Draft,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “In 2020, that’s especially true, as we help honor healthcare workers, first responders, and others on the front lines of the battle with COVID-19 while giving our fans something to cheer about as we celebrate the next generation of NFL stars. We are thrilled so many people were able to join us last night and we thank them for helping support the Draft-A-Thon.” The top-10 metered markets (across all networks) were: Columbus, Ohio (16.7), Cleveland (15.9), Cincinnati (15.6), Philadelphia (15.1), Kansas City (14.3), Jacksonville (14.1), Atlanta (14.0), Charlotte (13.1), Denver (12.8) and (tied) Nashville and Milwaukee (12.7). Viewership of “Draft-A-Thon LIVE,” the league’s fundraising campaign for COVID-19 causes, topped 7 million total viewers across a number of digital and social properties. The second and third rounds are held tonight with the final four rounds all day Saturday. NBC
The Lions may find Matthew Stafford‘s heir apparent tonight. Detroit is interested in quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Jacob Eason and would consider taking either of them tonight, according to NFL Network. The Lions have their own second- and third-round picks as well as the Eagles’ third-round pick tonight. It’s also possible that the Lions are putting out word of their interest in a quarterback in the hopes that some other team hoping to draft a quarterback will trade up and take one ahead of Detroit, improving the Lions’ chances of getting the player they actually want. But it might make sense for the Lions to take a quarterback now and give him one year to learn behind Stafford. It becomes a lot easier for the Lions to move on from Stafford’s contract after this season, and next year they may decide it’s time to move on. NBC
CeeDee Lamb: Very surprised Cowboys picked me, but glad they did Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said on Thursday night that the team never thought wide receiver CeeDee Lamb would be available when it came time for them to make the 17th overall pick of the draft and Lamb didn’t have the Cowboys on his radar either. Lamb appeared on 105.3 The Fan after the Cowboys made him their first-round pick and said he was caught off guard when Cowboys owner Jerry Jones gave him a call to let him know that he was heading to Dallas. “Very surprised,” Lamb said. “Honestly, I couldn’t see this coming but I’m glad it did. . . . I didn’t really have much conversations with them. I met with them in February at the [Combine]. Other than that, there wasn’t really much going on between us.” Lamb joins Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup at wide receiver for the Cowboys and said that he hasn’t had any conversations with the team about how everyone will be lining up, but any alignment will be tough for opposing defenses if Lamb’s collegiate production translates to the professional level. NBC
The Patriots didn’t draft a quarterback this week and head coach Bill Belichick said in a post-draft conference call that the team would be signing an undrafted rookie to go with Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer. Agent Mike McCartney announced that his client Brian Lewerke has agreed to a contract with New England. Lewerke was a three-year starter at Michigan State and closed out his college career by completing 260-of-436 passes for 3,079 yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His best year came in 2017 when he had 20 touchdown passes while also running for 559 yards and five scores. When Belichick was asked about not drafting a quarterback, he was also asked about reports that the team had signed former Louisiana Tech quarterback J’Mar Smith. Belichick said the Patriots had spoken to Smith, but “wouldn’t confirm anybody until we actually have a signed contract.” NBC
If Belichick can make Lewerke be a real starter then the debate is over and it wasn't ever Tom. Lewerke ain't no Hackenberg but he's got his own issues.
I find it endlessly petty and entertaining that New England didn't bother to sign or draft a QB of note immediately after they gave Tom the boot, and he went on his "I'm out to prove I don't need anyone" temper tantrum. "You wanna prove you don't need us, Tom? We're happy to prove we've never needed you, either. Backups and UDFA's are gonna do your job. And we're betting we'll be just fine". I love it. I can't wait to see it all play out.
Then we have Brady and Tampa cheating with Tom going to see Leftwich. Tampa should lose a high draft pick next year and the team, Leftwich and Brady should be fined.
Here’s an unexpected story. Unusual tag applied by Giants. https://www.rotoballer.com/player-news/giants-place-ufa-tender-on-markus-golden/735011
I didn't realize Tom left because he had something to 'prove'. Tom sad; I left because it was time for a change'. Belichick is great and so was/is Tom... I don't get the attitude or knocking of them when they (Belichick and Brady) did what they did in winning all those trophy's. They must have done something right? Why all the aingst towards them?
Perhaps, lol. They don't want to go against the grain at times it seams or damage their image, but sometimes things are black n white, sometimes not so clear. It seams to me that the system of hiarchy has always favored the achievers' over the trouble-makers. Some catch a break while others catch hell.
We all knew this was going to happen. The NFL lets stuff go by if they think they can get away with it. No one is going to be calling for Tom's head, given all the factors here (most people didn't even hear about it all, I would think). So the NFL has no incentive to issue a punishment. It's awful - Tom was blatantly disregarding the rules the entire nation is following on multiple occasions, but hey, sweep it under the rug as always...
I have no disrespect towards Belichick or the Patriots. Tom Brady is the biggest douche that the NFL has seen in the last two decades (and that includes guys like Aaron Rodgers), and no one says a word about it because of what you just said - he's a winner and a perfectly nice white guy, so he gets away with all of it. Him running around shouting on the sidelines, getting in peoples faces, shouting at refs, etc - that's just him being "passionate". Then we look at the long list of guys who do it and get called "divas", "problem players", etc... I have a lot of problems with Brady. That was literally just the first of several paragraphs I could type. But I won't. He's not worth that time. When you asked why Brady left - he's said repeatedly, very specifically, "I still have something to prove". If he's trying to prove that he needs Gronk, one of the best offensive coaches in the NFL (to replace Belichick's genius), etc, then he's doing a very good job so far...
Really? I struggle to try to like him. I just see too much of Johnny Manziel (going to assume the good Mormon boy isn't a shithead off the field like Johnny was) in which his athleticism and ability to make the play against the opponent are easy yet mechanically flawed (his footwork needs a ton of help for the NFL) and he's able to look good/make it look easy doing it. I'm not going to blame BYU for a covid-reworked schedule, but more than half of the teams BYU faced are below .500 with defenses ranked in the 70s or worse. So for most of this entire year, he's dunked on cupcakes as Manziel could against the likes of Lamar or South Carolina State in the early 2010s. And BYU is an above-average college program that's really well-coached, like on par with Northwestern or Stanford. They aren't getting the 5-star blue-chippers, and like NU--have restrictions (NU/Stanford are academic, BYU is religious--which another can of worms is this kid hasn't done his Mormon Mission yet--if he even will). The best two NCAA defenses he played this year were #54 Boise State--which to his credit he molly-whopped them. Then #22 Coastal Carolina--who made him look pedestrian. He can hit wide open guys open with busted coverage over the top with a pretty looking spiral because the Texas States or North Alabamas of the world have 4th rate DBs who are 3 steps behind his WR on the back-shoulder passes pundits gush over. You look at his game tapes from last year and he looks just like he did against Coastal Carolina against multiple, vastly superior opponents like Utah, USC, and Washington. The NFL isn't going to let him do that. I think he's the flavor of the month right now--especially with the negative press of Ohio State's Justin Fields playing 5 games then getting a free pass to the CFP after the 'Big 10 Championship', they changed the rules to get the buckeyes into anyways because its definitely about money--errr---"student-athletes." Wouldn't shock me if private workouts sober up those who love this kid and he drops out of the 1st.
OR, he pulls a Mitch Trubisky and somehow rockets up to the first QB taken overall. But Pace isn't drafting to of the order, thankfully. Hopefully not drafting at all...
