Who Ya Gonna Root For?

[I have to confess … I’m not too much of a pro football fan. I was a devoted follower of the home town New England Patriots, but now that they’ve resumed being less than ordinary I don’t pay much attention until we get within sniffing distance of the Super Bowl. This year holds the prospect of pitting TWO former Mr. Irrelevants, so I’m rooting for 49ers against the Bucs. SB SM]

By Cody Benjamin

Apr 29, 2023, CBS Sports

The 49ers unearthed a diamond in the rough when they drafted quarterback Brock Purdy in 2022, unknowingly landing a future replacement for both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo ahead of an NFC title bid. The selection was just as notable because it happened to be the last one in the entire draft, making Purdy the “Mr. Irrelevant” of his class.

First coined in 1976 but technically documented since the draft’s inception in 1936, the Mr. Irrelevant nickname has followed dozens of NFL hopefuls over the decades. Now, a year after Purdy ran with the title and made history while doing so (more on that below), the Rams are hoping they’ll strike a bit of their own Mr. Irrelevant magic, making Toledo defensive end Desjuan Johnson this year’s final pick at No. 259 overall.

In honor of the label, here’s a look at six of the most relevant Mr. Irrelevants in NFL history:

6. Brock Purdy (2022)

Drafted: No. 262 overall | Team: 49ers | College: Iowa State

Scouting reports suggested Purdy was smart but physically limited, and yet he looked like an instant Pro Bowler from the moment he replaced an injured Jimmy Garoppolo in the middle of the 49ers’ playoff push as a rookie. Efficient, elusive and willing to air it out, he led San Francisco to a 5-0 finish, then helped the team advance to the NFC Championship Game, totaling 16 touchdowns and just four interceptions in less than eight full games under center. If not for a serious elbow injury suffered in the NFC title contest, he may have found himself in the Super Bowl as an improbably veteran-esque NFL freshman.

5. Marty Moore (1994)

Drafted: No. 222 overall | Team: Patriots | College: Kentucky

The first Mr. Irrelevant to win a Super Bowl, Moore spent eight seasons as a linebacker — seven with the Patriots, and one with the Browns. Though he only made 19 career starts, posting his best numbers (90 tackles, four pass deflections, one INT) in Cleveland, he carved out a role on special teams with the Pats, earning jobs under Bill Parcells, Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick. Logging two picks in limited snaps during Carroll’s first year as head coach, he got a ring for the club’s 2001 championship upset of the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams.

Drafted: No. 253 overall | Team: Bears | College: Pennsylvania

Finn didn’t take a snap as a rookie, spending part of his first year on the Bears’ practice squad. After that, however, he clawed his way onto the Colts, who were fresh off a 13-3 breakout, and managed eight straight years as an active fullback. A dump-off option for Peyton Manning, sharing a backfield with Edgerrin James, he saw his best production alongside Peyton’s brother, Eli, with the Giants (2003-2007). In New York, Finn topped 100 receiving yards twice, helped block for All-Pro Tiki Barber, and got a ring when the G-Men upset the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

3. Bill Fischer (1948)

Drafted: No. 300 overall | Team: Cardinals | College: Notre Dame

An esteemed guard for College Football Hall of Fame coach Frank Leahy at Notre Dame, Fischer returned to school after the Cardinals drafted him following his junior year, then officially kicked off his NFL career a year later, when the Cardinals drafted him again — this time 10th overall. The big man started 48 games over five seasons, primarily at left tackle, becoming the first Mr. Irrelevant to earn a Pro Bowl nod (he finished with three). While also logging an occasional snap on defense, Fischer finished his brief but sterling career with an interception and a whopping 10 fumble recoveries.

2. Jacque MacKinnon (1961)

Drafted: No. 280 overall | Team: Eagles | College: Colgate

Like Fischer, he had an unusual way of finding Mr. Irrelevant stardom. Despite the Eagles taking him at the end of the 1961 draft, the fullback/tight end instead fled for the West Coast, signing with the AFL’s San Diego Chargers. He spent the next nine years starring under Hall of Fame coach Sid Gillman, deployed as both a runner and receiver in two-tight end sets. An athletic threat ahead of his time, MacKinnon totaled almost 2,500 yards from scrimmage for his career, notably logging 33 catches for 646 yards and six touchdowns at age 30, in 1968. The bruiser also spent a single season with the Raiders (1970), just as the AFL merged with the NFL, leaving the game having appeared in four different AFL championships, and winning one.

1. Ryan Succop (2009)

Drafted: No. 256 overall | Team: Chiefs | College: South Carolina

Of all the Mr. Irrelevants, none have made such a consistent impact over such a long period of time. One of only two kickers selected in 2009, Succop showed off his leg early, setting the Chiefs’ rookie record for field goals (25) and tying an NFL record for rookie field-goal percentage (86.2). After five years in Kansas City, he spent six with the Titans, three times eclipsing 100 points on the year. With the Buccaneers since 2020, he broke a franchise record for single-season points (136) as part of the club’s Super Bowl championship team. And at 36, he’s still got it, entering Week 14 currently 24 of 27 on field goals for Tampa Bay. In his 14th season, he ranks in the top 35 among all-time kickers in both points (1,400+) and field-goal percentage (83.5%), ahead of big-name Pro Bowlers like Mark Moseley, Neil Rackers and Billy Cundiff.