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No more Kliff Kingsbury bachelor pad or Jerry Jones' yacht, as 2021 NFL draft will be in team rooms

Strangely, the 2020 NFL draft — which many said should be canceled because it would be the biggest debacle ever since teams surely could never figure out how to use a Zoom link — might be the most unique and enjoyable draft of our lifetimes.

Instead of the bland security-level footage of teams sitting in boring draft rooms, we got to see coaches and general managers at home, brought to us by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell hanging out in his basement. The draft was surprisingly fun, with moments like Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury hanging out in his cool bachelor pad or Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones making picks from his yacht. Teams had to improvise when they were restricted from their facilities, and it ended up being remarkably entertaining.

The draft will be going back to normal this year, with teams being allowed back in their facilities. That's kind of a bummer.

Roger Goodell probably won't be conducting the NFL draft from his basement this year. (NFL via AP)
Roger Goodell probably won't be conducting the NFL draft from his basement this year. (NFL via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Teams will be back in their draft rooms

Tom Pelissero of NFL Media said teams were informed they'd be able to draft at their facilities as long as "physical distancing and proper mask wearing are followed." There will be cameras on the coach and GM, Pelissero said, but it won't be like last year.

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It is far more practical. Even though the breathless worries about technology screwing up the draft were incredibly overblown — teams can figure out how to use telephones, after all — there were potential glitches. The NFL wanted to keep its draft on track and it did, but there could have been some hiccups.

There's always a small chance there are disruptions even with teams back at their facilities, but it's far less likely in that setting. Setting up a draft room and operating from there for three days is what teams have been doing for decades and that's what they're comfortable with. That's what we'll go back to in 2021, as long as there are no changes in the landscape before late April.

In one way, it's good to have some things getting back to normal, or close. But last year's draft was really fun.

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