During the NFL Draft, ESPN’s Laura Rutledge experienced a viral moment following an awkward interview with Sondra Thomas, the mother of LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who was picked 23rd by the Jaguars.
When Rutledge asked, “How far has this family come?” Sondra’s literal response, “We came from Baton Rouge, Louisiana,” caught viewers off guard.
NFL fans praised Rutledge for her poise in handling the unexpected reply, with some even humorously dubbing her the “GOAT” of draft coverage. Rutledge, however, humbly dismissed the praise, responding with a “Far from it” and a laughing emoji to a tweet suggesting she was “fighting for her life” during her draft interviews.
Additionally, Rutledge had a mix-up when she mistakenly called Dallas Turner’s mother, Tonya, by the wrong name, to which she tweeted in good spirits, “She told ME! As she should. What an awesome mama.”
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Throughout these moments, Rutledge maintained her professionalism, and it was clear that no feelings were hurt during the draft. With the hectic pace of live coverage, Rutledge and fans alike hoped for a smoother Day 2 at the draft.
