05/05/25 04:53:00
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05/05 16:51 CDT Washington to host the 2027 NFL draft on the National Mall,
President Donald Trump says
Washington to host the 2027 NFL draft on the National Mall, President Donald
Trump says
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Sports Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) --- The 2027 NFL draft is heading to the nation's capital on
the National Mall, President Donald Trump said Monday, bringing the widely
popular event back to Washington for the first time in more than eight decades.
After word of Washington getting the draft two years from now surfaced Sunday
night, Trump made the formal announcement in the Oval Office flanked by
Commissioner Roger Goodell, Commanders controlling owner Josh Harris and D.C.
Mayor Muriel Bowser.
"I don't think there's ever been anything like that," Trump said. "It's going
to be beautiful. It's going to be something that nobody else will ever be able
to duplicate that, I don't suspect. It's very exciting."
It is the latest off-field victory for the Commanders, who a week ago reached
an agreement with the D.C. government to build a new home on the old RFK
Stadium site, pending council approval. Trump also endorsed that plan in his
remarks, saying, "I don't think there is a better site anywhere in the world."
Under former owner Dan Snyder, the team previously tried multiple times to land
the draft and was unsuccessful. Now, it'll happen behind the team's new
Harris-led ownership group, which bought the Commanders from Snyder in 2023.
"What a great day for Washington," Harris said. "I believe we'll get over a
million people, and it's going to be an amazing day and it'll showcase what
Washington's all about."
Washington last hosted the draft in 1941 at the Willard Hotel.
"We believe in investing in sports because they have helped us transform
neighborhoods, and the NFL bringing this event to the nation's capital will
help us fill hotel rooms, our restaurants," Bowser said. "Americans from all 50
states will come to their nation's capital and enjoy our beautiful city and
museums."
Green Bay, the NFL's smallest market, hosted the most recent draft in late
April outside historic Lambeau Field. The NFL announced a crowd of 600,000 fans
attended over the three days.
"The draft has really become one of the great entertainment and sports events,"
Goodell said, trumpeting the popularity of the draft in recent years. "It will
not just be an event. It will be something that will show the world how far the
nation's capital has come and where it's going."
The NFL draft used to be a fixture at Radio City Music Hall in New York and has
become an even bigger hit since it hit the road in 2015. Chicago hosted the
draft in 2015 and ?16. Philadelphia had it in '17, followed by Dallas and
Nashville.
Goodell announced the picks from his house in 2020 during the pandemic. It went
to Cleveland in 2021 followed by Las Vegas, Kansas City and Detroit. A record
crowd of 750,000 attended Detroit's draft in 2024. Pittsburgh will host next
year.
The draft in Washington in ?27 will mark the third anniversary of the
franchise-altering selection of quarterback Jayden Daniels with the second
pick. The Commanders made the playoffs and reached the NFC championship game in
Daniels' rookie year and look to be a Super Bowl contender for years to come.
"I have to say that Josh had a very good draft a short while ago," Trump said.
"You have a very good quarterback --- a great quarterback, I think."
Success on the field under Harris-hired general manager Adam Peters and coach
Dan Quinn has made Washington a premier market again, decades after the
organization's glory days that included three Super Bowl championships.
After the news conference last week unveiling plans to build a 65,000-seat
stadium, Goodell said the turnaround from losing to winning is "immeasurable in
so many ways."
"This market is obviously critical," Goodell said. "To be able to have a
franchise here that everybody here is proud of that's gotten back on the
football field in a positive way and now to have a stadium that brings their
team back into D.C., I think that's a really big step and something that's
going to be great for the NFL, too."
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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed from Tampa, Florida.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
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