‘Who in the hell is Mel Kiper?!’ – Legendary NFL Draft moment when a GM attacked ESPN expert on live TV
The NFL Draft is beloved by fans for its live television sports drama and unscripted reality.
Normally, the climax of the action consists of tears flowing and young men proudly hugging NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in front of a worldwide audience.
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But NFL Draft drama reached a whole new level in 1994 and one of the most famous names in draft history found himself in the middle of unforeseen chaos.
The 1994 draft was loaded with future Hall of Famers, with Marshall Faulk, Bryant Young, Isaac Bruce and Kevin Mawae topping the list.
It was also a time of major change for the NFL, with free agency arriving for the first time and teams beginning to place greater value on drafting potential franchise quarterbacks.
That set the stage for an epic televised battle between ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Indianapolis Colts general manager Bill Tobin.
Kiper was adamant that the Colts needed to bring in a new QB, instead of relying on veteran Jim Harbaugh – who now coaches the Los Angeles Chargers after winning the NCAA College Football Playoff at Michigan.
Indy had other ideas, passing on QB prospects Heath Shuler and Trent Dilfer, although they held the Nos. 2 and 5 picks in the 1994 draft.
Watch the fireworks live, at a time when cable television was becoming commonplace in America and ESPN was taking shape as the self-proclaimed world leader in televised sports.
“I knew you would have a surprise for us today,” said ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, as Tobin sat down for a low-key interview on draft day.
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“That’s no surprise to us,” Tobin quickly replied.
When it was mentioned that the Colts had received “a lot” of criticism for not drafting a quarterback, Tobin hit back even harder.
“Well, we have a guy up there – who the hell is Mel Kiper, anyway?!” said an angry Tobin. “I mean, here’s a guy who criticizes everyone, no matter who he takes. He has the answers to who you should take, who you shouldn’t take.
“And from what I know of him, he’s never put on a jockstrap. He’s never been a coach, he’s never been a scout, he’s never been an administrator, and all of a sudden suddenly, he is an expert.
“We don’t have to take anyone that Mel Kiper says we have to take. Mel Kiper has no more qualifications to do what he does than my neighbor, and my neighbor is a mailman, and he doesn’t doesn’t even have an NFL season ticket.
Kiper defended himself and his analysis, while Tobin fumed.
In the end, both were wrong.
Shuler was a complete failure, while Dilfer was a solid professional QB but not a true franchise changer.
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Dilfer made one Pro Bowl in 13 seasons and bounced around five teams.
He won a Super Bowl in 1997 with Tampa Bay, but the Buccaneers defense deserves the credit.
Today, Dilfer is considered an exception to the norm when it comes to franchise QBs winning the big game.
But Kiper was right: Indy needed a better answer at QB in 1994.
The Colts were 8-8 that year and fell to 3-13 in 1997.
That led Indy to the No. 1 overall pick in 1998, when the Colts stuck to their draft board and took Peyton Manning instead of the soon-to-be cut Ryan Leaf.
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Tobin died at age 83 last week.
He worked for the Colts, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals.
“A sad day with the passing of Bill Tobin, an accomplished front office executive who made the NFL a better league during his distinguished career,” Kiper tweeted. “I send my deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
Mortensen died in March after a long career at ESPN.
Kiper has been part of the network’s annual NFL Draft coverage since 1984 and is still the best-known draft analyst covering the league.
The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft will take place Thursday in Detroit.
This year’s class is loaded with top-tier quarterbacks, including Drake Maye, JJ McCarthy and Jayden Daniels.
Caleb Williams should be the Chicago Bears’ No. 1 overall pick.
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