Why Roger Goodell Gets Booed During the NFL Draft

The 2025 NFL Draft starts on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET, live from Lambeau Field in Green Bay. But before Round 1 starts and the Titans go on the clock, one thing is nearly certain — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will get booed when he appears on stage.

Booing Goodell has become a tradition for NFL Draft fans. Ever since Goodell took over as commissioner in 2006, the booing has been a constant theme in every draft, year after year. 

But why do fans boo Goodell? We’ll deep dive the history of Goodell being booed, and explain why Goodell is booed during every NFL Draft.

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Why Does Roger Goodell Get Booed at the Draft?

At this point, the Draft starting with Goodell getting booed is just part of the show. But it’s not because of one specific controversy.

For starters, Goodell is viewed as the “fall-guy” for some of the problems related to the NFL, whether that be league policies, team issues, player issues, or anything else. Whenever something happens, Goodell is often the first guy people look at to point the blame since he has the title of commissioner. 

When there are problematic issues, it’s Goodell who has to stand in the fire and take the heat, regardless of whatever he says or does is even good. And that has led to the boos getting louder over time.

Another reason is that the NFL is by far the most popular and profitable sports league in America. Goodell is viewed by some as just a guy taking the orders from the NFL team owners who have billions of dollars, but that can be the case for any major sports league commissioner. 

What is the History of Goodell Getting Booed?

The booing began in 2006, when Goodell became the NFL Commissioner. Once he took the role, he became the target for fans’ grievances, no matter what they may be. But at this point, Goodell has embraced the boos.

In 2011, during a league-wide lockout, fans at the draft vocally expressed their unhappiness, chanting “We want football” as Goodell took the stage.

Even as the draft moved from the Radio City Music Hall to various NFL cities, the boos continued. In Philadelphia in 2017, Goodell was booed relentlessly even after he got the podium to start his opening speech.

In 2020, during the pandemic, the NFL partnered with Bud Light for the #BooTheCommish campaign, encouraging fans to submit their boos online to turn the tradition into a viral, charitable event.

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Is Roger Goodell the Only Commissioner Getting Booed?

While Goodell does get a plethora of boos on the NFL Draft stage, he’s not the only commissioner to hear it. Other commissioners in different sports leagues get the same treatment.

For example, NBA commissioner Adam Silver is also known for getting booed whenever he first appears on the draft stage. At this point, it has become a tradition started by the fans who either boo because they actually don’t like the commissioner or boo just for the fun of it.

Whatever the case may be, the boo’s do bring a comedic element to the NFL Draft, and it never takes away from the actual prospects being picked on draft night. 

How Long Will Goodell be Booed at 2025 NFL Draft?

Only time will tell how long the fans at Lambeau Field will boo Commissioner Roger Goodell before he opens up the draft on Thursday night.

Last year in Detroit, the boos lasted only about eight seconds, but that was partly due to Eminem joining the commissioner on stage, as the boos quickly turned to cheers for the Detroit legend.

PrizePicks’ projection on Goodell being booed is set at 10.5 seconds in The Draft game — now available to play for free in the app. You can pick More or Less to win your share of $500,000 in Free Lineups if your picks are right. 

Note that the projection only accounts for time Goodell is booed before he starts speaking.