| Dave Lane |
03-24-2009 08:32 AM |
But the most relevant Mr. Irrelevant the Chargers snagged ended up being one of their greatest players in franchise history. The Oakland Raiders picked a kicker from California-Davis with the 335th and final selection of the 1977 draft. But the Raiders didn't really need a kicker with the ageless Errol Mann entrenched there, so they let Mr. Irrelevant go during training camp.
The Chargers, meanwhile, had lost their kicking tandem from the previous year to other teams. Toni Fritsch went to Houston and Ray Wersching headed up the coast to San Francisco. Enter Rolf Benirschke.
Benirschke took over sole possession of the kicking duties in San Diego and the rest, as they say, is history. Benirschke ended up being one of the best kickers in the NFL during his 10-year career. He's second on the all-time Chargers' list with 766 career points and 208 field goals made, but he's mostly remembered for his game-winning field goal against Miami in the 1981 divisional playoffs, an overtime thriller deemed as one of the best playoff games ever played.
Benirschke is the only Mr. Irrelevant to play in the Pro Bowl, selected following the 1983 season. That year, he was 43-of-45 on extra point attempts and 15-of-24 on field goals. Oddly enough, he was better in 1984, nailing all 41 PATs and 17-of-26 field goals, yet wasn't chosen for the Pro Bowl. By the time his career ended in 1986, he had set 16 Charger team records and was inducted into the Chargers' Hall of Fame in 1997.
Benirschke may be more famous for his short stint as host of Wheel of Fortune and his bout with Crohns Disease that nearly ended his career, but his distinction as a "successful" Mr. Irrelevant no doubt gives hope to the last guy taken in the draft each year.
So, as you're keeping track of the picks, keep an eye on the final selection. Mr. Irrelevant just might end up becoming a star.
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