Mr. Irrelevant

 

The professional football world has bestowed a rather inglorious title upon the final person selected in the annual NFL draft. Since 1976 the last person drafted has been dubbed “Mr. Irrelevant” because, after seven rounds, there is almost no chance of the last player actually signing a contract and making any money. While being drafted is an honor, and being draft last has to beat not being drafted at all, there has to be a bit of embarrassment that goes with that moniker. Mr. Irrelevant is usually honored with a parade as an ironic statement of his new standing in the league. He will probably never be in a Super Bowl parade, so let’s let him have this one.  

 

South Carolina Gamecocks fans might remember the name Ryan Succop, the former place kicker for USC. As you might have guessed, he had the title of Mr. Irrelevant endowed upon him in 2009 when he was taken 256^thoverall by the Kansas City Chiefs. After four years with that franchise, and five with the Tennessee Titans, Succop made history this year when he won Super Bowl LV with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yes, Succop is the first Mr. Irrelevant to play in and win a Super Bowl (1994 Mr. Irrelevant Marty Moore played in Super Bowl XXXI, but his New England Patriots lost to the Green Bay Packers).   

 

Succop didn’t just play in the big game, he was a major contributor. He made all four of his extra point attempts (12 of 13 in the playoffs) as well as his lone field goal attempt from fifty-two yards out (he was a perfect 9 for 9 in the playoffs). There is obviously nothing irrelevant about Succop’s talent. To add to the Cinderella story, he was playing with quarterback Tom Brady, who was famously drafted in the sixth round and has arguably become the greatest of all time at his position. 

 

There was a time when people may have snickered at Ryan Succop. “He’s irrelevant!” I even remember a few Clemson fans having a chuckle at his expense when he was branded with his new nickname. Succop drowned out the noise and made a nice twelve year career (and counting) for himself, which happens to include a Lombardi Trophy. Most of the people who called him irrelevant will never even see a Super Bowl trophy, let alone hoist one up in victory. The Bucs kicker is an example of why we should never let people define us. We have to drown out the naysayers and just keep working. 

 

Those hurtful names may come from other people, but they ultimately originate with the devil. His name literally means “the accuser,” and his favorite tactic is to tell us and God how bad we are. He reminds us of our shortcomings. We were drafted last. No one wants us. We will never contribute anything. 

 

We are sinful. We have let God down. Jesus could never love us. 

 

Satan may accuse us now, but we will have the last laugh. John was given a vision of a future day: “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down (Revelation 12:10).’”

So don’t listen to him. When Satan says you are a failure, God says you are forgiven. 

When Satan says you are a loser, God says you are loved. 

When Satan says you are worthless, God says you are worth it. 

And when Satan says you are irrelevant, God says are significant.