Make no mistake, Cleveland awarded NFL Draft in 2021
Fans who want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-round draft pick being selected in two seasons will need to make a short drive up the turnpike.
At the NFL spring meeting in Key Biscayne, Fla., commissioner Roger Goodell announced that Cleveland has landed the 2021 NFL Draft. The timing coincides with the Browns’ 75th anniversary in the NFL.
“Cleveland has a passionate fan base and the city offers distinctive iconic locations and attractions that will bring the NFL Draft experience to fans in unique and exciting ways,” Goodell said in a statement. “We look forward to collaborating with the Cleveland Browns, the City of Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Destination Cleveland to celebrate the achievements of the next generation of players and create a memorable fan experience.”
The NFL also awarded the 2023 NFL Draft to Kansas City. The draft will be held in Las Vegas in 2020 and has not been awarded for the 2022 event. Denver also made a pitch to host the three-day extravaganza.
The draft was held annually in New York City for 50 years until the NFL decided to rotate the event beginning in 2015. After being held in Chicago for two years, the draft was awarded to Philadelphia, Dallas and Nashville the past three seasons.
Pittsburgh has hosted the NFL Draft just once – in 1948 when it was held at the Hotel Fort Pitt.
Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.