Learning from Mr. Irrelevant
My Eagles are in the Superbowl!
And yet, I’m writing an article about two incredible stories from the San Francisco 49ers (who the Eagles just beat in the NFC Championship Game) and the Kansas City Chiefs (who the Eagles are about to play in the Superbowl).
For those who think “I’m not good enough” (or some variation of that), I’ve got a story for you….
His name is Brock Purdy. For non-football fans - Brock is a 23-year-old quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers who was drafted last in the 2022 NFL draft. And I mean dead last - not a single player was drafted after him. He was number 262. The player drafted with the last pick of the NFL draft each year is not so affectionately labeled “Mr. Irrelevant”.
Late picks in the draft are usually fringe talents that have to earn their way onto the roster. Some sites estimate that only ~30% of players picked in the 6th or 7th round even make it onto the team roster, let alone ever start.
Perhaps the most famous exception is Tom Brady, who was drafted in the 6th round by the New England Patriots in 2000 – And we all know how that story went. He is now considered by many to be the G.O.A.T. – Greatest Of All Time – after winning 7 Superbowls.
At the time that Brock Purdy was drafted, the 49ers had two other quarterbacks on the team, making Brock the 3rd string quarterback at best. The likelihood of Brock even stepping foot in a game during the 2022 season was very unlikely.
September 18th, 2022: Trey Lance, the starting quarterback for the 49ers, broke his ankle on a running play and was ruled out for the season… Suddenly, Brock Purdy was promoted to a 2nd string quarterback in the NFL. But Jimmy Garoppolo was the next man up as the starting quarterback.
December 4th, 2022: In the first quarter of the game, Jimmy Garoppolo, suffered a broken foot and was also ruled out for the season. Time for the third string, Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy to enter the game. Now, most third string quarterbacks are not expected to do very much, but Brock was different. He came in to finish the game with two touchdowns and won the game. What a start to his NFL career!
Since December 4th, 2022, Brock Purdy took the starting quarterback job and, pardon the pun, ran away with it. He won 8 games straight to start his NFL career. Since being selected as “Mr. Irrelevant”, he has beaten the G.O.A.T., Tom Brady, in the regular season, led his team to the playoffs, made it to the NFC championship game, and has gone from Mr. Irrelevant to a well-respected name in a very tough league.
My Eagles may have ended his miracle run last week, but it’s still a heck of a story.
What’s even cooler? Brock Purdy isn’t the only “Mr. Irrelevant” to work his way to relevancy. In 2009, Ryan Succop (a kicker) was drafted with the last pick of the NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He went on to win Superbowl LV with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ironically enough against the very same Chiefs who drafted him. And coming full circle, Succop is now back with the Chiefs contending for this year’s Superbowl against my very Eagles.
There are of course other examples that I could highlight as well, but the moral of the story remains the same. Even if the odds may not be in your favor (only about 1.5% of college football players even make it to the NFL), that doesn’t mean that your goal or aspiration is not worth pursuing if it aligns with your values & Life Plan.
Others may be critical, question your ability, or tell you that what you want isn’t likely to come true, but as Terry McDougall, Executive Coach & Author of Winning the Game of Work, said during my interview with her for Redefining Success “You don’t have any business knowing what other people think of you.”
Reflection Exercise:
Think of a goal that you currently have 2023
Can you identify an obstacle, perception, or outside opinion that is negatively affecting your belief that you can achieve your goal?
What is one thing you can do today to make progress towards your goal?
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.