Outside of the first-round picks in the NFL Draft, one of the most popular picks in every draft is the famous Mr. Irrelevant pick. This title goes to the final pick in each NFL Draft, and it has quite a history.
History of Mr. Irrelevant
In 1976, former USC and NFL receiver Paul Salata coined the term and event in Newport Beach, Calif. He announced the final pick in the NFL Draft every year through 2013, with his daughter ultimately taking his place.
Each year, “Mr. Irrelevant” gets to spend a week in Newport Beach where they can enjoy a trip to Disneyland among other things. They are presented with the Lowsman Trophy. It is similar to the Heisman Trophy, but the player is fumbling the football.
“Irrelevant Week” had so much publicity that it forced a rule change in 1979. The Los Angeles Rams wanted to have the final pick, so they intentionally passed it to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers refused to make the pick as well, and the teams both refused to make a pick. However, commissioner Pete Rozelle stepped in and made the Rams pick. This made a rule known as the Salata Rule, which doesn’t allow teams to skip their final pick.
While the award has been fun, have teams gotten players who have been a big part of their franchise? Obviously, right now, all the talk is about San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who was the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Has there ever been a Mr. Irrelevant who won a Super Bowl though? Let’s take a look.
Marty Moore Becomes First Mr. Irrelevant To Win a Super Bowl
Any time a team drafts a player in the NFL Draft, they are hoping that guy will help them eventually win a championship. However, there is an understanding that the Mr. Irrelevant pick may not pan out.
However, there have been guys who have done just that, helping the team that took them win a championship.
MORE: Why Did the 49ers Draft Brock Purdy?
The first player picked last in the NFL Draft to win a Super Bowl was Marty Moore. He was the first Mr. Irrelevant to not only play in a Super Bowl (XXI), but he was also the first one to win one as well (XXXVI).
While he was the first, he isn’t the last — kicker Ryan Succop accomplished the same thing more recently.
Ryan Succop Takes Out the Team That Drafted Him
Succop was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009 and has had a very good career as a kicker. He played for the Chiefs and the Tennessee Titans early in his career, but his defining moment came in Tampa Bay.
He was the first Mr. Irrelevant to start and win a Super Bowl, and he did that in 2020 with the Buccaneers. What made that even more interesting is the fact the Buccaneers knocked off the team that drafted him in that game. Tampa Bay dominated the game, winning 31-9 against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
San Francisco 49ers Fans Hope for Another Mr. Irrelevant To Win Super Bowl
While both of those previous Super Bowl winners are an impressive feat, Purdy has an opportunity to accomplish an even more special win. The former Iowa State quarterback has been incredible for the 49ers, and can become the first Mr. Irrelvant QB to win the Super Bowl when his team takes on the Chiefs in Super Bowl 58.
KEEP READING: Has Christian McCaffrey Ever Played In a Super Bowl?
Want to predict the results of the 2023 NFL postseason with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? How about looking into in-depth breakdowns of team depth charts or the NFL playoff schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with all that and more!
