NFL world reacts after shocking change to 2026 draft

The NFL draft is a great moment for a lot of young men, as they overcome the odds and have their lifelong dreams of being able to compete at the highest levels fulfilled. Just about everyone who has ever played football has dreamed of hearing his name called by the commissioner and walking across the stage.

The NFL has also been looking to keep fans more engaged in the draft, as it has been changing cities in recent years, with the 2026 rendition of the event set to take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Now, another sweeping change is coming to the format, according to one prominent league insider.

“Two-minute warning: The NFL notified teams today that it will shorten the time between picks in the first round of the draft from 10 to 8 minutes starting with the 2026 draft in Pittsburgh. This will shorten the length of the first round, which had been finishing around 11:45p ET. Teams were on board. Roger Goodell had first mentioned this possibility on the Friday of the Green Bay draft on Pat McAfee’s show,” reported ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday.

Two-minute warning: The NFL notified teams today that it will shorten the time between picks in the first round of the draft from 10 to 8 minutes starting with the 2026 draft in Pittsburgh.

This will shorten the length of the first round, which had been finishing around 11:45p… pic.twitter.com/yMsym354PY

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 10, 2025

Fans reacted to the news on social media.

“Can they also stop telling the team picking first overall to take up the entire clock,” one fan wrote on Twitter.

“Objectively a move we should all be happy about. Takes an hour to get past the first 5 picks,” someone else added.

“About time… the first round is tough to watch because I have to listen to Mel Kiper complain for 3 straight hours,” one fan added.

It’ll be interesting to see if more changes are on their way down the pipeline.