Roger Goodell's Joe Buck Joke Was Best Part Of ESPN's New Commercial

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Roger Goodell's Joe Buck Joke Was Best Part Of ESPN's New Commercial

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Holleran | Last updated Apr 23, 2026 11:38 AM ET

ESPN unveiled a new commercial ahead of the NFL Draft on Thursday.

The Worldwide Leader in Sports is officially on the clock - not for Thursday night's NFL Draft, but rather, next season's Super Bowl.

ESPN will be broadcasting Super Bowl 61. The Worldwide Leader in Sports is getting its first Super Bowl. It should be a fun one.

On Thursday morning, ESPN released its new Super Bowl 61 commercial, featuring Roger Goodell. The NFL commissioner announced, in NFL Draft fashion, that the league has picked ESPN for Super Bowl 61. Troy Aikman, Laura Rutledge and others are seen celebrating.

The best part of the commercial, though, came at the end. Goodell went up to Joe Buck and said:

"Congrats on your first Super Bowl."

Buck, of course, has called plenty of Super Bowls. Goodell knows this. But for the commercial, he played against Buck's ego, making it seem like he was unaware of his broadcasting history.

It was well played.

The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, meanwhile, is set to begin on Thursday night. It'll air at 8 p.m. E.T. on ESPN.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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