Washington High School students Xavier Goff and Rionne Turner took center stage at the 2025 NFL Draft as representatives of Special Olympics North America and Wisconsin’s Unified Sports. On April 25, Goff, a Special Olympics athlete, and Turner, a Unified Partner, announced the 38th pick for the New England Patriots. “It was really fun! That was the first time I ever went on stage and started announcing in front of thousands of people,” Goff commented on the experience.
The pair’s weekend in Green Bay included participating in a Special Olympics flag football clinic and interacting with NFL athletes such as Travis Hunter, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and the number 2 overall selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Unified Sports aims to bring together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities. Washington High School is among the schools offering these programs, where Goff and Turner are noted for helping foster an inclusive environment. Turner remarked, “I think it’s important for people to know everybody can play every sport, and it’s not just like ‘they’re special, they can’t do this.’ I think it’s important for everybody to be a part of every sport.”
Reflecting on their opportunity at the draft, Goff shared, “Even now when I notice, most of these people do not have opportunities like this at all. I know I never did when I was younger. If it wasn’t for my coaches, I wouldn’t really be here and have all of these opportunities with them.”
Their participation at the draft seeks to highlight the importance of inclusion and representation for individuals with disabilities in sports.
