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I was recently introduced to the name Mr Irrelevant. It is given to the last player taken in the NFL draft. The implecation being the person selected has the least chance of making an NFL team and is therefore "irrelevant".
In the 2022 NFL draft, Brock Purdy, was the last man chosen and inherited the title. He was certainly no stranger to being unheralded. While a talented high school athlete, he visited several of the elite college football programs but ultimately was only offered by teams which were bottom of their conferences.
He took a scholarship offer from Iowa State and over the course of his four years he and his teammates barely managed to win more games than they lost. He played exceptionally well over the course of his career leaving the school holding 32 school records.
What strikes me the most about his being lableled "Mr. Irrelevant" was a quote I found from an interview after his freshman year when he fell into the starting role (after injuries to players ahead of him) and starting the season third on the depth chart. He was asked about his having moved up the depth chart and he stated the following:
“It was just a great reminder of where my identity is, where it lies. And it’s in Jesus. And I continue to lean on Him. Again, the next day I didn’t go out and throw for 500 yards and was this awesome quarterback, but it was just this peace that I had with Him knowing that, ‘Hey, no matter what I’m going to face moving forward during college football, God and Jesus are going to be my identity. And whatever I face, I won’t be shaken from it.’ I’ve got a great foundation in Him."
Brock gave the glory to God. He was comfortable knowing that no matter what situation he faced, God would be there with him and in God he would find his identity. So, he found himself being called "irrelevant" and the punchline of the NFL joke. Something tells me that was of no concern to him. I am going to bet he simply looked at it as an opportunity to glorify God.
I have not watched an entire NFL game in years. However, I wanted to watch Mr. Irrelevant as he played his eigth straight game a started after taking over for the two quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart who got hurt. He was grace under pressure and led the 49ers to the NFC Championship game.
Time will tell if he can lead his team to the Super Bowl in his first year in the NFL. However, one thing is for sure, he was never Mr. Irrevant because his identity was in Christ and therefore he was born relevant.
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5