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2018 NFL Draft: Bucs parrot gets stage fright on draft day (Watch)

By Matthew Bartlett

18 Oct 1998: General view of pirate ship decor at the stadium during the game between the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida. The Buccaneers defeated the Panthers 16-13. Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran /Allsport
18 Oct 1998: General view of pirate ship decor at the stadium during the game between the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida. The Buccaneers defeated the Panthers 16-13. Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran /Allsport /
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were supposed to have a parrot announce their Day 3 picks of the 2018 NFL Draft but the parrot wasn’t interested in participating.

Fans are locked in to the first round of the draft every year. By the time Day 2 comes around a few big names are always left on the board to keep interests piqued. But on Day 3 only the die-hard fans are still watching. The NFL has tried a variety of odd and interesting things to keep draw more fans in. This year they put the burden on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ parrot, Zsa Zsa.

Zsa Zsa the parrot was supposed to announce the Bucs picks on Day 3. When the moment came the parrot froze. No squawks, no flying onto the ship, nothing. Just sitting on the shoulders of someone dressed up in pirate garb who read the pick – Pittsburgh safety Jordan Whitehead.

This was a fail on multiple levels. The NFL deserves some blame for believing their fans wanted to see, as the NFL broadcast put it, “a fake pirate ship in a half empty stadium”.

The Bucs better hope their defense is more prepared when the bright lights turn on than the parrot. Tampa Bay was shredded through the air a year ago, a reason that they spent three of their first seven selections on defensive backs. In addition to Whitehead the Bucs grabbed corner M.J. Stewart (Round 2, No. 53 overall) and Carlton Davis (Round 2, No. 63 overall).

Next: NFL Draft Grades and reactions to every first round pick

Zsa Zsa the parrot wasn’t the only strange character to make an appearance on Day 3. Chewbacca and friends helped the San Francisco 49ers announced their Round 4 selection. But unlike Chewie, the parrot failed to deliver in the clutch. Maybe the last day of the NFL Draft isn’t for the birds..

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