As long as there’s been an NFL draft, teams have adopted tactics to ensure their selections are prepared for success — both physically and mentally. While players’ physical pedigrees are proven during their college careers, the psychological aspects have proven far more elusive, turning the league’s pre-draft player evaluations into surreal interviews, and featuring questions that would never fly at a cocktail party … or anywhere else for that matter.
Execs and scouts use seemingly random questions to get inside the heads of the players they’re sizing up, doing their best to ensure they’re drafting a player who displays as much mental fitness as they do physical prowess.
The strange questions asked of players have turned into something of a trope over the years, and the collection of previously asked questions will cause you to wonder what’s going on in the interviewers’ minds, more so than those of the subjects.
The questions below have all been asked of players in the previous NFL Combines, and while very little context is provided for the queries, it’s hard to imagine any circumstances that would make these questions appropriate, never mind useful, in the evaluation process.
For instance, where on a player’s draft sheet do you mark down their response to this question?
It would be fun to see a player’s response to this question pop up on a draft day graphic, too.
The player tasked with answering this question no doubt sweated while trying to figure out which was the “right” answer.
Most of us no better to pull at this thread, but all is (apparently) fair game in sizing up a draft pick.
Unless this was posed by the equipment manager, it seems like a very inappropriate question as well.
Again, I don’t understand the purpose here, but I feel like for a football player, “shark” is a safe answer.
Given the questions asked, and the fact that NFL teams don’t appear to be any more or less successful with their draft picks following these nosy interviews, it’s little surprise that the whole psychological testing process is debunked and retooled on an almost annual basis. But that doesn’t keep teams from trying their best to get inside the heads of their prospective players.
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Juicy subject matter
Giphy from The Blacklist.
We could start a rumor.
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.