Latest news with #Mr.Irrelevant
Los Angeles Times
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Kobee Minor, the 50th Mr. Irrelevant, celebrated as part of a special fraternity
Kobee Minor's first look at Orange County's coast reminded him of Netflix's shoreline-set, teen-drama series 'Outer Banks.' That's the closest he'd ever been to an actual beach. Five days on the bay, in the surf, among those whose journey mirrors his own, and Newport Beach is now like a home away from home for the new Patriot. The 50th Mr. Irrelevant. who hails from a town 35 miles northwest of Dallas, now understands what it means to enjoy five days on the bay and in the surf among others whose journey mirrors his own. Minor this week joined a 'brotherhood' he hadn't known existed, couldn't have aspired to and now cherishes. He's been steeped in the traditions of pro football's most whimsical culture, joining a band of others chosen with the last pick of five decades of National Football League drafts and the family tethered to it. Irrelevant Week's mission — to fête somebody who wouldn't normally be celebrated just for the joy of it — and the amiably casual approach to maneuvering through it hasn't veered through its evolution from let's-try-this to a celebrated moment on the NFL's calendar. It's a bit of fun before the real business begins. That's what Newport Beach's Paul Salata, who played for USC in the NFL in the late 1940s and early '50s, was seeking when in 1976 he introduced Irrelevant Week, whether he fully realized it or not. It's what Melanie Fitch, Salata's daughter, has embraced in her 30-year stewardship of Mr. Irrelevant celebration. In an increasingly corporate sports landscape, Salata's (and now Fitch's) week-long (or thereabouts) parties are something else, something more meaningful. 'I had no idea,' Andy Stokes, one of nearly two dozen Mr. Irrelevants present for Minor's coronation, said of the event. 'I was just a kid trying to play football. This stays with you your whole life. It's a brotherhood. It's a club. You get a built-in community for the rest of your life.' There's a bit of teasing going on here, in celebration of the 'last,' and a celebration of the achievement, with rewards: for Minor, the key to the city, proclamations, a Newport Beach Police Department badge, personalized longboard, and, at Friday night's marquee banquet, the humorous Lowsman Trophy, its football player depicted fumbling the ball. New England gave Minor his ticket, making a seventh-round trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for two picks and using the latter — No. 257 in the draft — to snare the defensive back from the University of Memphis. He spent his five days here mostly garbed in a Patriots jersey with 257 on the front and getting a taste of Balboa life. He sailed in the weekly Beercans series on Balboa Bay, surfed off 30th Street under inaugural world champion P.T. Townend's tutelage (with a minute-long run judged a 6, highest of Irrelevant scores), took a restaurant crawl along the peninsula, worshiped at Mariners Church and spent a day at Disneyland. 'Everybody's been amazing,' Minor said. That's Salata's doing. He concocted Mr. Irrelevant, Fitch said, 'like a spur-of-the-moment idea' to 'do something nice for someone for no reason.' It was never meant to last forever, but it might. 'Fifty years is a long time,' said Fitch, who took charge of the Irrelevant Week organization in 1995. 'When it started, I was younger than Mr. Irrelevant. Then I was Mr. Irrelevant's age. Then I was the age of his mom. Now I'm the age of his grandma. It's been a good run. 'We still really enjoy the idea of celebrating the underdog and celebrating the last player drafted. We think that he should be recognized just like the first player drafted, because it's an honor to be drafted at all.' There have been 14,156 players drafted over these 50 years. Some 14,106 of them aren't 'Irrelevant.' It's 'truly a fraternity,' says 2006 Raiders selection Kevin McMahan. It's one that has, according to 1977 Vikings pick Jim Kelleher, 'become such a significant part of life.' Salata, who died a day shy of his 95th birthday in 2021, is warmly remembered within the fraternity. 'Paul was the OG,' said Ryan Hoag, a 2003 Oakland Raiders pick who parlayed his success into a stint on reality television show 'The Bachelorette' and now is a pregame analyst for the team. 'He was one of those guys that everybody kind of wanted to be around. 'He didn't say a ton, but when he did, it spoke volumes. He was quick-witted. He was always cracking jokes. And he was just somebody that genuinely had the utmost respect for everybody and the biggest heart and just wanted to help people for no reason at all. It's rare if you come across one of those people in your life, let alone a Paul Salata.' Kelleher, the second Mr. Irrelevant, called Salata 'unlike anybody I had ever met.' 'I was just in awe, the way he interacts with people, his sense of humor,' he said. 'And then what he's done, his vision of this. I can't speak for him, but something tells me that what Melanie's done and where Irrelevant Week is, here, 50 years later, is what he wanted. ''Just doing something nice for somebody for no reason.' How good of a mantra is that for our country, for our world, for us all? It was a gift. We're all blessed.' Fitch this year joined her father as chief beneficiary of the Orange County Youth Sports Foundation's Person of the Year, an honor she rebuked from the Lowsman Banquet stage, quickly shifting the attention back to the event. 'I didn't know, I would have stopped it,' she said. 'Maybe that's why they didn't tell me. I like to be under the radar. I like to do a lot of nice things for people, but I don't want my name in the deal. I just want it to be a super time and super experience.' She marshals a loosely organized, amiably casual team heavy on family members while steering from the behind, slipping in and out of the spotlight as needed, her constant, wry chatter a treasured soundtrack to the proceedings. Everyone's welcomed as 'family' — that was Salata's way, and like father, like daughter. The 'fraternity' is constructed upon that foundation. Hoag, who has returned to Irrelevant Week '10 or 11 times,' calls the relationship 'special ... like family' and says his week, 22 years ago, 'probably usurps every moment of my life.' 'This is pretty much at the top,' he said. 'Having a full week dedicated to you, and they tailor anything and everything you've ever imagined. I mean, it's like finding a genie's lamp and having unlimited wishes.' He'd known nothing of the tradition until a friend called him 'Mr. Irrelevant' as they saw his name called on television. 'I heard you get a trip to Hawaii and a million dollars, and that sounded pretty good, let me tell you,' he said. 'It turned out it wasn't, but, honestly, I wouldn't trade my experience of that week and the subsequent 22 years for a million dollars.' It's all for charity, and the Lowsman Banquet, the business end of the festivities, raised about $150,000, Fitch estimated, for the OCYSF. Many of the Mr. Irrelevants returning this year for the first time, all of them except 2020 New York Giants pick Tae Crowder, whose party was canceled by COVID, carried tales of their weeks: the single Hoag's 'Miss Irrelevant' pageant, Kelleher accompanying Salata in his morning duties, 2005 Patriots pick Stokes' hit-and-run after coach Bill Belichick limited his trip to one day, 1992 Redskins pick Matt Elliott getting tossed from his hotel room bed by the Landers/Big Bear earthquakes. Minor's experience — the adventures, sure, but more so the camaraderie with those who preceded him most of all — 'really opened my eyes,' he said. 'Just realizing this is actually a big event, and it's bigger than all of us. Just fellowshiping with everybody has been amazing. 'Man, I can't thank this family enough. They didn't have to do this, man. They're doing something nice for somebody for literally no reason. So hat's off to them and their family, making me a part of their family.' Minor dreamed from childhood of playing football or basketball professionally — 'basketball didn't work out; I'm not that tall,' said the 6-footer — and started to believe it could happen when he got his first college offers at Lake Dallas High School in Cornith, Texas, near Denton. He was a three-star defensive back in high school, where the elite get five stars. He had (as he noted in his post-draft press conference) 'never been a highly recruited guy ... never been one of the top guys,' and hadn't had a satisfactory four years at Texas Tech, where he saw special-teams duty, and Indiana, where he was 'let go' after a season. Minor made an impact after portaling to Memphis, contributing 38 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, six passes defended and two fumble recoveries as the Tigers went 11-2 with a Frisco Bowl win over West Virginia just across Lake Lewisville from home. His dad told him he was Mr. Irrelevant. '[Being 'Irrelevant' is] kind of normal to me, because I've always been an underdog, you feel me?' he said. 'Just getting that call and knowing that I'm Mr. Irrelevant, the last pick of the draft, it kind of just adds fuel to my fire.' He stepped into the Patriots' June minicamp and began to 'pick up on the small things I need to fix in my game and trying to focus on my technique and stuff like that, do whatever I can to earn a role on the team and whatever I can to help out.' He's not a certainty. Half of Mr. Irrelevants to date never saw action in an NFL regular-season game, only six have played in more than 50, and just 15 in 10 or more. Four others are on current NFL rosters (49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, Rams defensive end Desjuan Johnson, Lions linebacker Grant Stuard, and 2024 honoree Jaylen Key, a Bengals safety). Another, quarterback Chad Kelly, plays in the Canadian league, and three-year Giants starter Crowder is 'trying to get back into the NFL' after a season in the second-tier United Football League. 'I've got to just go out there and prove that I'm a dog,' Minor said. 'And not just prove to them, but prove to myself that I'm capable of playing in the National Football League.' The support he's found the past few days has made that all the more important. 'Now I know I've got a couple hundred more people that's rooting for me,' he said. 'I can't let them down, so I've got to go back and work.'
USA Today
19-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
49ers extension for Brock Purdy is great news for Seahawks
49ers extension for Brock Purdy is great news for Seahawks Over the weekend, the Seattle Seahawks watched their NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers sign quarterback Brock Purdy to a five-year contract extension worth an eye-popping $265 million. The 49ers made Purdy the fifth-highest paid quarterback in the league from an overall contract value perspective. The Seahawks will love that! Purdy will earn $53 million per year on average, tying him with Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff for the seventh-highest yearly salary among all NFL signal callers. Furthermore, the deal includes a FULL no-trade clause for the duration of the contract, according to Mike Garafolo. Purdy is now tied to the 49ers through at least the 2029 season. Purdy was the final selection of the 2022 NFL draft. The pay increase from his "Mr. Irrelevant" rookie contract to $265 million extension will represent the largest rookie-to-veteran deal increase in NFL history. That's going to severely handicap the 49ers' ability to build an all-star supporting cast around Purdy. Eventually, the 49ers won't be able to afford a supporting cast that includes players of Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle's caliber. There's always been a fair debate regarding how much Purdy benefits from San Francisco's all-star roster. It won't happen in 2025, but at some point, Purdy will be tasked with shouldering more responsibility than he currently does. Many of San Francisco's best players are aging talents. The likes of McCaffrey, Williams, and Kittle won't be around forever. Purdy's sizable extension will limit Kyle Shanahan's ability to pursue (and retain) similar high-priced talents. The 49ers better nail every draft for the foreseeable future, because they're going to need low-cost replacements. The 49ers understandably had to sign Purdy to a lucrative extension. Starting quarterbacks don't grow on trees. Purdy's extension does back the 49ers into a corner though, and the Seahawks should benefit.
USA Today
18-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Brock Purdy's contract extension compared to other \
Brock Purdy's contract extension compared to other "Mr Irrelevant" draft picks Purdy's extension is worth more than five times the combined career earnings of the last 20 final picks in the draft. The big news in the NFLGet more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts. at the end of this week was San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy getting a huge contract extension. He received a five-year extension worth $265 million with $181 guaranteed. He was the final player selected in the 2022 NFL draft, making him that year's Mr. Irrelevant. That contract is not only the largest ever given to a player who was the final pick in the draft, it is more than five times the career earnings of all the players who were Mr. Irrelevant from 2004-2024, excluding Purdy. Prior to Purdy, only one former Mr. Irrelevant had made more than $4 million in career earnings. That was kicker Ryan Succop, the final pick of the 2009 draft. He made $32.8 million in his 14-year career. The next player on the list in career earnings is linebacker Grant Stuard, who has made a little more than $3.9 million in his four-year career thus far. From 2004-2024, the 20 players drafted last (excluding Purdy), have made a combined $51.7 million in career earnings, which includes Succop's nearly $33 million. Career earnings for Mr. Irrelevant, from 2004-2024 (2024) S Jaylen Key, Jets: $218,236 (2023) DE Desjuan Johnson, Rams $1.74 million (2022) Purdy (2021) LB Grant Stuard, Buccaneers: $3.9 million (2020) LB Tae Crowder, Giants: $2.37 million (2019) TE Caleb Wilson, Cardinals: $602,000 (2018) WR Trey Quinn, Washington: $1.27 million (2017) QB Chad Kelly, Broncos: $1.17 million (2016) CB Kalan Reed, Titans: $1.94 million (2015) TE Gerald Christian, Cardinals: $742,000 (2014) S Lonnie Ballentine, Texans: $1.39 million (2013) TE Justice Cunningham, Colts: $626,000 (2012) QB Chandler Harnish, Colts: $450,000 (2011) DE Cheta Ozougwu, Texans: $1.02 million (2010) WR Tim Toone, Lions: $26,000 (2009) K Ryan Succop, Chiefs: $32.8 million (2008) LB David Vobora, Rams: $1.41 million (2007) CB Ramzee Robinson, Lions: $25,000 (2006) WR Kevin McMahan, Raiders: $25,000 (2005) TE Andy Stokes, Patriots: $17,500 (2004) LB Andre Sommersel, Raiders: $16,500 Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How 49ers and Brock Purdy struck a win-win deal with $265 million extension
For so long, the debate raged: Was Brock Purdy, the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, elevating the San Francisco 49ers? Or were the 49ers, who reached two NFC championships and a Super Bowl berth with Purdy, built to win with any quarterback? Purdy, critics said, was the lucky beneficiary of a stacked roster and an elite play-caller in head coach Kyle Shanahan. Advertisement He was protected by a strong offensive line, and surrounded by the likes of Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Anyone could win in that environment. Right? On Friday, the 49ers put their money where their mouth has been as they confirmed: No, not anyone can do what Purdy has done in his historic Mr. Irrelevant journey. The 49ers and Purdy agreed to a five-year extension worth $265 million on Friday, a source with knowledge of negotiations confirmed to Yahoo Sports. The deal includes $181 million in total guarantees and gives San Francisco the rights to Purdy through 2030. Advertisement The raise is stratospheric for Purdy. Brock Purdy is looking for a return trip to the Super Bowl. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San) (Michael Zagaris via Getty Images) Purdy's $53 million per year catapults him from a rookie deal with an average annual salary below 100 active quarterbacks to a deal bested by just seven, per OverTheCap data. Purdy's rookie deal, with one year remaining, has averaged $934,000 per year. His $181 million in guarantees slot him eighth now, just between the Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson and Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts. The $77,012 in total guarantees he had until now? That one ranked 81st, just between Kyle Allen and Josh Johnson. Miami Dolphins rookie Quinn Ewers had more guaranteed before his first snap. Advertisement And yet, for all the paydays and raises and generational money this deal does provide, it in many ways also represents a compromise — one that NFL quarterback negotiations of late seem rarely to strike. 49ers couldn't ignore Brock Purdy's résumé of 42 total starts There are quarterbacks who would have demanded more and agents who would have insisted they "win" on more record-setting or seemingly record-setting points. There are teams that would have guaranteed less, and a long history of executives who would have carried this to the brink of training camp — if not all the way up to the cusp of the regular-season kickoff. Advertisement The 49ers themselves have faced recent training camp holdouts from stars including edge rusher Nick Bosa, and receivers Samuel and Aiyuk. So sealing the deal in May for the most expensive member of their roster was far from a given. But this money by Purdy is the result of a massive exceeding of expectations. In three years, the 2021 262nd draft pick has started 36 regular-season games and won 23. Purdy has completed 67.5% of pass attempts for 9,518 yards, 64 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He led the league in 2023 with a 7% touchdown percentage and 9.6 yards per attempt. Yards after the catch helped those metrics; but Purdy's ability to process Shanahan's system and apply it to defensive diagnoses were critical. In six playoff games, Purdy has similarly helped his team to a 4-2 record. He's completed 62.6% of passes for 1,343 yards, six touchdowns and just one interception. Purdy also has rushed for a touchdown and eight first downs in the playoffs. Advertisement Purdy wasn't just the beneficiary of an excellent system. He was the engine that allowed it to hum. And after the 49ers whiffed drafting Trey Lance with the third overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, Purdy rescued the franchise from a move that could have set its roster-building back half a decade. Now, the 49ers recognize his contributions and even moreso the ceiling they believe he has ahead with a deal that puts him in the top-10 most expensive contracts in NFL history without breaking the bank to exceed deals agreed to in a lower salary cap market than the league's current $279.2 million clip. The extension reflects a belief from the 49ers that Purdy can win them games and a belief from Purdy that staying with the 49ers is a win for his career. Advertisement Will the franchise continue to win on the field in Purdy's tenure? Time will tell. But without a holdout, without acrimonious negotiations and without the inability to fit Purdy's contract alongside those of McCaffrey, Kittle and more … on Friday, the 49ers and Purdy found yet another way to both win.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NFL world has mixed reaction to Purdy's 49ers contract on social media
NFL world has mixed reaction to Purdy's 49ers contract on social media originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area Mr. Irrelevant got a bag. After news broke that 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and San Francisco are finalizing a five-year, $265 million contract extension, which a source confirmed to NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco, fans in the Bay and across the NFL world alike shared their opinions about the deal on social media. Advertisement Many celebrated the contract, some believe Purdy is being overpaid and others still think the 25-year-old deserves more money. And, of course, the memes were flowing. We've compiled some of the top reactions from X, formerly known as Twitter: Sounds pretty relevant to us. Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast
