The Patriots may not have made a pick on night one of the NFL Draft, but it was still a night of football and incredible entertainment. Between the NFL Draft, the WNBA draft, and "The Last Dance," sports Twitter has had reasons to come to life over the past week or so, and it is a welcome return to something somewhat normal.
The NFL Draft was unlike any we have seen before, with players, team personnel, and analysts waiting and working from home. Though different and heavily reliant on a strong WiFi connection, the setup gave Twitter a lot to work with -- home decor, quarantine outfits, adorable kids in war rooms, and more.
And folks didn't hold back. From the hilarious to the sincere, it was an incredible first night.
First and foremost, the Patriots may not have added any rookies, but news broke that a familiar face would be returning to the field. After missing all of last season with blood clots in his lungs, center David Andrews took to Instagram to say he would be healthy and ready for the start of the season.
Andrews's announcement made for some good news for Patriots Nation.
Before the night even began, Julian Edelman, of course, had some fun on Instagram. Brett Favre's iconic draft night photo got the signature Edelman Photoshop treatment, complete with a Kent State hat and t-shirt.
The night itself opened with a moving montage narrated by Peyton Manning all about hope. It featured videos from people all over the country and the world, showing solidarity by staying home, and it set a perfect tone for the evening. Among the best things about the NFL Draft is seeing that kind of hope come to life for so many young men. The reactions are often full of joy and pure emotion, but this year, that hope is necessary for us all.
With cameras scattered throughout the country, football fans got a live look into the homes of the picks as they saw their phone light up and heard their name called by Roger Goodell. No surprise, there were a lot of emotions.
From Joe Burrow to Cesar Ruiz to Javon Kinlaw to Henry Ruggs III in a robe, the picks evoked all kind of emotion.
For many, this is a moment they have dreamed about for years, and a Twitter Sports thread really drove that point home. The "Tweet It Into Existence" campaign recirculated old tweets from draft picks in the best way. The thread shows that what these men dreamed of has now become their reality.
Family moments are nothing new for those selected during the broadcast. Patriots fans will remember N'Keal Harry, Chase Winovich and Joejuan Williams and their emotional moments from the 2019 draft, but what's different this year is seeing family moments for team personnel. Living rooms, home offices, and kitchen counters have transformed into war rooms, and kids, spouses, and pets have become coworkers.
Getting that insight made for precious moments. And, uh, some much-needed laughs.
The look inside the homes of coaches and general manager's was like an NFL version of "House Hunters," getting to see the interior design choices and the chosen aesthetics. With teams on the clock, it gave viewers plenty of time to scope out the view of everyone's home.
While for some, thought of having cameras in your home on national TV is enough to make you clean every inch, others handled it cooly -- like Kliff Kingsbury. The Cardinals coach gave everyone the HGTV show we didn't know we needed in the middle of the broadcast.
Though his epic war room situation stole the show, there were other knick knacks, books, and momentos astute Twitter users picked up on, too.
If the first night is any indication, the rest of the weekend is sure to be interesting. The Patriots are currently slated to make five picks Friday night, so that alone is more than enough for Patriots fans.
Surely, there will be more of these moments too. And in case you needed any further proof that the 2020 NFL Draft is unlike any other, we leave you with this: Commissioner Roger Goodell doing the "Toosie Slide" with Jerry Jeudy. Yeah, you read that right.
What a night.
