In virtual NFL draft, Roger Goodell stills hears boos nationwide

The novel coronavirus may have taken a lot of pageantry and personal interaction from this year’s draft, but one tradition remains alive and hissing.

Thanks to video conferencing software set up in a makeshift studio in his Bronxville, N.Y., home, commissioner Roger Goodell was able to pipe in live boos from fans across the nation, including Hall of Famer Michael Strahan. Check out the clip below.

“It’s a draft tradition,” Goodell said, “and one I genuinely enjoy.”

The boos continued preceding many of Goodell’s selections. Before 11 p.m., the hashtag #BooTheCommish already had been tweeted more than 39,000 times.

Goodell said he’d also miss the hearty embraces he typically gets from draftees as they reach the stage during conventional live draft broadcasts.

“My body won’t miss them, but I sure will,” Goodell said.