Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic and the social distancing regulations implemented all over the United States, the NFL had to adapt its 2020 college player draft. The event that was originally scheduled to take place in Las Vegas was canceled, and moved to a virtual setting for the first time in league history. Naturally, this change presented a challenge to the league’s 32 organizations and their operating patterns.
The New England Patriots were able to successfully tackle this challenge due to the work of their information technology specialists, led by Michael Israel and Dan Famosi. Together with their staff, the two set up a system that allowed the Patriots’ coaches and front office members — led by Bill Belichick and Nick Caserio — to smoothly communicate both with each other either via phone or video chat, or with other teams across the NFL.
This process of communicating virtually and announcing the selected players or trades to the league office was captured on camera, and recently turned into a short seven-minute documentary by the Patriots. With the team and the league as a whole slowly having started the reopening process, the behind-the-scenes video gives a final look back at what was one of the most unique experiences in the NFL’s 100 years.