ESPN’s Mike Greenberg apologizes on air for Denzel Boston gaffe
By David Wasson
Published:
ESPN NFL Draft host Mike Greenberg took a moment during Friday’s third round coverage to clean up a messy mistake he made live on air earlier in the evening – as he mistook former Washington defensive back Denzel Boston for being the son of former NFL wide receiver David Boston.
“I was waiting for the Browns to come around again so I could make an apology to Denzel Boston, who earlier tonight I mis-identified as being the son of former NFL receiver David Boston,” Greenberg said on the broadcast. “It was a mistake in my research. It is a terrible one and I apologize to them both. They are not related to each other, and so I apologize to both David and Denzel Boston.
“Congratulations to Denzel on being drafted in the second round tonight by the Cleveland Browns. That’s my mistake and I apologize for it.”
Earlier Friday, as the Huskies standout was shown celebrating with his family – including father Chris alongside – Greenberg apparently looked down at his notes package and offered this:
“You remember his dad, David Boston, first-round pick out of Ohio State in 1999,” he said.
In fact, Denzel Boston isn’t even related to David Boston. Denzel Boston, the first wide receiver to be selected in the second round, amassed back-to-back 800-yard receiving seasons for the Huskies – notching 63 catches for 834 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024 and 62 receptions for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025.
Like our coverage? Make SDS a preferred source in your searches!
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
