Last year's "Mr. Irrelevant" proved to be anything but down the stretch of the 2022 NFL season, but will the holder of this year's title share a similar fate? "Mr. Irrelevant" is the nickname given to the final pick in the draft, the player selected with the 259th pick.
In the 2023 NFL Draft, the event concluded with Toledo defensive lineman Desjuan Johnson being picked by the Los Angeles Rams, a selection they had as a result from a trade with the Houston Texans.
Johnson is not the biggest guy, but where he lacks in size he makes up for it with a quick first step and good grip strength. The Rams are hoping this year's "Mr. Irrelevant" ends up being as relevant as last year's final pick.
The player selected last does not just get this nickname, they also get some perks.
The Mr. Irrelevant Award was created by Paul Salata, who played football for the University of Southern California, the NFL and the Canadian Football League. The nickname was coined in 1976, giving us nearly five decades of the last selection getting the title.
"We established Irrelevant Week to drive home an important message -- that it's not a negative to be picked last in the NFL Draft; rather, it's an honor to be drafted at all," Salata said. "The last draft pick's demonstration of perseverance is [a] lesson that resonates not only with NFL players and fans, but also with people everywhere."
Johnson will get a trip to Newport Beach, California and visit Disneyland, visit a charity, attend media events and more. According to their website, Irrelevant Week has resulted in over $1 million to charities.
"I -- and the entire team at Irrelevant Week -- remain steadfast in our commitment to applauding those who exude the principles of enduring effort and sportsmanship," Salata said. "The Irrelevant Week tradition shares an inspirational story about a champion of perseverance -- and that's an important message for today's society."
The first Mr. Irrelevant to play in and win a Super Bowl was in 2021, when Tampa Bay Buccaneers placekicker Ryan Succop became a champion in his own stadium.
Purdy also had a good run last year, going from third-string quarterback to winning all five regular-season games he started. Purdy then won two out of three playoff games, going down with an injury in the NFC Championship and losing to the Philadelphia Eagles.
