A Guide To The NFL Season - The 5 Things You Need To Know

Football is back and just like that, there goes your Sundays (and Mondays…and Thursdays)…

Put me in coach,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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1. The 100th NFL (National Football League) season starts on Thursday and culminates with the Super Bowl in Miami on February 2. Performances by Meek Mill, Meghan Trainor and Rapsody will kickoff the first game of the season that happens to be between two of the the league’s oldest rivals, Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. The league is so excited about their 100th year that they’ve coined the phrase “fantennial” to celebrate fans along the way. DON’T LAUGH – YOU DIDN’T USE THE WORD GOOGLE UNTIL 20 YEARS AGO

2. While everyone expects the defending Super Bowl Champions, the New England Patriots, to do well this season, it’s the Cleveland Browns who are raising eyebrows. The team that went winless two seasons ago has set the bar high this season and could be one to beat, thanks to second year quarterback Baker Mayfield. THE SKY’S THE LIMIT

3. After some controversy around her Sunday Night Football song, Carrie Underwood has teamed up with Joan Jett to sing the show’s opener. For the first time in 14 years, the video for the opening song was shot inside an NFL stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons. P!nk and Faith Hill sang previous versions of the theme song. LADIES OF THE EVENING

4. While you might think the most important people on the field are the guys in the helmets, it’s a little more black and white than that. With the team’s futures in their hands, the referees, and their game changing decision making minds, are only part-time employees. As part of a labor dispute between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association, all refs will be considered part-time until further notice. After some notable controversial calls last season, we’ll see if this status affects the game. PLACE YOUR BETS

5. Did you know the NFL used to be 501 (c)(6) non-profit? They voluntary gave up their tax-exempt status, which means they no longer have to disclose commissioner Roger Goodell’s salary, which has been upward of $31 million. MAKING BANK

Want to know more about your team? Here is the top story line for each team. BE IN THE KNOW

Wednesday Wisdom

It’s all happening today including why beer and football are worth celebrating, a classic tale of a cheerleader and quarterback, who's baring it all and Serena’s U.S. Open domination. READ

5 Things To Know About Nashville's Party Of The Year - The NFL Draft

Prospects went from the toughest job interview with the NFL (National Football League) Combine to the anxiety inducing draft that starts tomorrow.

Break out the antacids,

The Last Night’s Game Team  

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1. For more than 50 years, the draft was held in New York but it’s now become quite the road show. It has moved from Chicago to Philadelphia to Dallas and has since landed in Nashville. The city is expecting a serious influx of visitors with last year's event in Dallas drawing more than 200,000 fans and generating over $125 million in economic impact. BANKING ON IT

2. Draft candidates must be three years removed from high school. The Arizona Cardinals have the distinct honor of choosing the first player in the draft because they were the worst team in football last year. FIRST IS THE WORST

3. Nashville is rolling out the red carpet and fans will be cheering for concerts from big country music names like Tim McGraw and Dierks Bentley but they won’t be cheering for the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. It’s a tradition for fans to boo him every single time he walks up to the podium to announce a new draft pick. Keep an eye out for Make-A-Wish recipient Kacey Reynolds who will give Goodell a break and announce the Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft pick. ROCK ON

4. After Goodell is done announcing the picks in the first round (there are a total of seven rounds), many teams will bring in special guests to relay their selections. This year, we can expect big name alumni to take the stage and hope for some unique special guests like last year where R2-D2, Chewbacca and members of the Stoneman Douglas football team all revealed their team’s choice. SURPRISE SURPRISE

5. Mr. Irrelevant is the title given to pick #256, the last person drafted. Why irrelevant? Because of the multitude of players chosen before them, the player is not likely to make the team roster. Making a negative into a positive, one Mr. Irrelevant established Irrelevant Week, celebrating that last player. The week, which has turned into quite the big event, preaches that it’s not a negative to be picked last in the NFL Draft; rather, it’s an honor to be drafted at all. FINDING THE SILVER LINING

Want to watch the drama unfold live? Coverage starts tomorrow with Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts on ABC.

FOR THE WIN!

The draft isn’t the only thing everyone will be talking about today. Share your newfound knowledge about Hamilton the pig, how women’s sports are gaining some serious ground and are football players smarter than you think? READ

5 Things You Need To Know About The NFL Draft

The future of football starts tomorrow and here’s the knowledge you need to talk shop with the best of them.

You're our first round draft pick,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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Five Things To Know About The NFL (National Football League) Draft

1. How it works – The candidates for the draft primarily consist of college football players hoping to play in the NFL. The first round picks are determined by the teams’ win/loss record from the previous season. The worst team picks first (because it’s presumed they need the most help) and the Super Bowl champions pick last. Any ties in season records are settled by a coin toss. RULES

2. This year’s draft is at the home of the Dallas Cowboys and it is the first time the draft has ever been held in an NFL stadium. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will announce the first round of picks on Thursday and don’t be surprised if he’s booed by Cowboys fans. Last year was a contentious year between the Cowboys organization and Goodell. (For the record, the fans boo Goodell every year – it’s like a fun, family tradition). MORE ABOUT THE COWBOYS CONTROVERSY

3. To keep fans engaged throughout the three days and seven rounds, teams have come up with intriguing ways to announce their draft picks. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are using a live parrot, the Minnesota Vikings will call on the gold medal winning U.S. Men's Curling Team to read their name, the Oakland Raiders will announce their pick from Nellis Air Force Base in their soon to be new home, Las Vegas and members of the Stoneman Douglas football team will make the announcement for the Miami Dolphins. MORE ON THE FANFARE

4. Pizza Hut is the new official pizza sponsor of the NFL and to celebrate the company is giving the 78th pick of the draft free pizza for a year. Why? The 78th pick equals pi therefore why not give them free pizza pies? (Pi is 3.14 and the 78th pick is in the third round, pick 14). Worth noting – the later the pick, the less likely it is that the player will make an NFL team. A superstar exception? Quarterback Tom Brady who was the 199th pick. PICK ME

5. Speaking of picks, the Cleveland Browns have the first pick in the draft. The team has been silent on their choice for the number one spot. So quiet that the general manager of the Browns won’t even tell his coach who he’s picking because he doesn’t want it to leak to the media. FIND OUT WHO MIGHT GO FIRST

Pick me!

There’s more to life than being drafted and today that includes why the NFL could be like the Price Is Right with a $1 offer, another woman breaks through in sports and the player who held a press conference to discuss his dirt bike skills (because why not)? READ

 

 

What to watch

The NFL draft starts Thursday night and runs through Saturday. One player to watch is Shaquem Griffin from Central Florida who only has one hand after having it amputated at an early age. He impressed teams in his tryouts but will he make a team and history? SCHEDULE