Watch it again: Smokey Robinson welcomes the world to Detroit and the NFL Draft

The 2024 NFL draft is over, but its impact on Detroit may resonate for years to come: The city was on fine display for football fans in America and around the globe during the three-day event, which drew an estimated 775,000-plus fans to downtown Detroit.

And on Thursday, many of those watching on TV were welcomed to the draft's opening night with a Motown-themed introduction voiced by Smokey Robinson and featuring one of his signature compositions.

An animated Smokey avatar hosts the colorful NFL Network clip, which includes footage of the Fox Theatre, “The Spirit of Detroit,” the Ambassador Bridge, Barry Sanders and more. It's set to the sounds of “Get Ready,” which Robinson wrote for the Temptations in 1965.

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“It’s like nowhere else in America,” Robinson says of his hometown. “It has never lost what makes it unique.”

Animated versions of top draft prospects also feature in the clip, including Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Marvin Harrison Jr., Dallas Turner and Brock Bowers.

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“Tonight, there’s a new sound, a new energy, and these stars embody what Motown does best: They can improvise with the best of them, strike the right notes in the biggest moments and create something completely new,” Robinson says.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Watch: Smokey Robinson welcomes the world to Detroit and the NFL Draft