Roger Goodell’s exuberantly awkward hugs with players who’ve just been drafted are legendary.
I can’t think of a better thing to say about them than what Andy Nesbitt said about them, so here’s that:
“While at first it seemed like a fun thing for players to do, it now just seems forced. Goodell has all the genuine warmth of an emotionless cult leader and chances are he’s going to fine these guys sometime down the line for doing something that they shouldn’t be fined over. He’s not your friend. Shake his hand, get your jersey and hat and get the heck out of there.”
Andy’s right, of course, but let’s be thankful that Christian Wilkins, a defensive tackle from Clemson who was selected No. 13 by the Dolphins, didn’t follow his advice. At all. In fact he did the opposite: he out-hyped Goodell by at least double, and almost ended him.
Wilkins gives him the up symbol, every so briefly, and then launches. Goodell, who ponders every decision approximately 17 months longer than he ever needs to (unless that decision is whether to listen to Jerry Jones, which he does reflexively for some reason), didn’t pick up the cue.
And that’s when things got insane.
Goodell at first thinks this is going to be fun. Then he remembers that Wilkins weighs more than 300 pounds.
Here’s Wilkin’s admiringly observing Goodell’s good-natured laughter.
Different angle. Proof Goodell really leans in to this hit. Respect.
That was fun.
True love. Seriously. Look at that.
