On Tuesday, May 14, the official countdown to the 2025 NFL Draft will start with a ceremonial Draft Handoff from Michigan to Wisconsin. A football with a theme will arrive in Milwaukee from Detroit via the Lake Express Ferry from Muskegon, Michigan, and be carried north to Green Bay, where a Countdown Clock will be unveiled in the Lambeau Field Atrium. The Draft Handoff, an occasion that subtly nods to the Olympic and Super Bowl traditions, will see the football embark on its Wisconsin journey—a region rich in pro football history, with early NFL teams based in Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha, as well as the 1940 NFL Draft held at the then-Schroeder
The beloved Packers bike child tradition, which started in 1958 at training camp, will be honoured once again during the Draft Handoff as bicycles will assist in getting the football to Green Bay. Pedal to the Draft is a unique bicycle tour that will showcase Wisconsin’s exceptional outdoor recreation offerings, a compelling aspect of the state’s tourism appeal that will be prominently showcased to a large number of tourists in April.
“The Green Bay Packers are honoured to bring the energy and excitement of the NFL Draft to Wisconsin as we step up preparations to host the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay,” Mark Murphy, president and CEO of the Packers, stated. “Football enthusiasts from all over the nation and the globe will travel to Green Bay to witness the NFL Draft and take in the team’s heritage. The Pedal To The Draft is a great way to get things off and celebrate both, plus they’ll get to see everything that Wisconsin has to offer.”
The Lake Express Ferry will arrive at its Milwaukee stop at 11:45 a.m. to kick off the day’s activities. A small group of cyclists, including riders from the Packers, Travel Wisconsin, Wisconsin Bike Fed, and bike businesses and advocacy groups in the Green Bay region, will set out on the Pedal to the Draft to Green Bay following statements from Murphy and NFL and state officials. The riders will travel by and pause for short periods of time at a number of notable sites along the route, showcasing Wisconsin’s bikeability through its stunning roads and trails.
The cyclists’ route to the Atrium in Green Bay will take them via Armed Forces Drive, with a stop at Ray Nitschke Field, home of the Packers. Bike kids in the Green Bay region are welcome to participate in the ride from Nitschke Field to the Atrium in honour of the bike kid training camp tradition. At six o’clock in the evening, interested children should queue at the Armed Forces Drive entrance to Nitschke Field. Following that, the party will ride into the Atrium and cross Oneida Street for a ceremony to reveal the 2025 NFL Draft Countdown Clock.
The public is welcome to witness the presentation of the Countdown Clock, which is slated to start at about 6:30 p.m. As the cyclists travel to Green Bay, supporters are urged to follow the Packers on social media and at packers.com to follow the progress of #PedalToTheDraft. The three-day 2025 NFL Draft is expected to draw about 250,000 spectators and generate $94 million in economic effect for Wisconsin, $20 million of which will come from the Green Bay area. The draft is scheduled for April 24-26.
