Commissioner Roger Goodell's Leather Armchair On Display at HOF

One year after the National Football League responded to the global COVID-19 pandemic by making its annual draft a fully virtual event, the League and the City of Cleveland last week welcomed back players and fans for the 2021 NFL Draft.

The reaction from fans across the country was overwhelming, with more than 160,000 people attending the event over its three days (April 29-May 1) and the third highest television audience in the draft’s long history.

This week, an item that took center stage in Cleveland was loaned to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and has been placed on display: Commissioner Roger Goodell’s leather armchair, a personal favorite of his that the public first saw when he announced draft picks from his basement in April 2020.

During the draft’s opening night in Cleveland, a fan from each team selecting in the first round was invited to the stage and could sit in style while that team was on the clock. The result was several candid moments between the commissioner and fans from across the country.

Guests who want to see the armchair up close will need to visit Canton sometime over the next four months, however. The Hall plans to return the loaned chair to Commissioner Goodell in time for him to enjoy watching games during the 2021 regular season comfortably in his basement.

Along with Commissioner Goodell’s chair, visitors to the Pro Football Hall of Fame also can view numerous other draft-related artifacts, including all 32 draft cards from this year’s first round. The 5-inch-by-4-inch cards – the ones each NFL team representative delivered to league staff for the official selection of their choice – are on display in the Pro Football Today Gallery.

Among other items on display are the commemorative coin used to determine which expansion team would draft first in the 1995 NFL Draft (Carolina won that toss but traded the pick); Tom Brady’s draft card from the 2000 NFL Draft; and Matthew Stafford’s draft card from the 2009 draft.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Plan your visit: https://www.profootballhof.com/visit/