New York Jets Rookie Participated in Incredible Event for Being Mr. Irrelevant

The New York Jets selected Jaylen Key with the last pick of the NFL Draft, and he recently participated in ‘Irrelevant Week.’

Dec 2, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Jaylen Key (6) celebrates after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

There is a hidden benefit to being selected as the final player in the NFL draft and being labeled “Mr. Irrelevant” — you get a week celebrating you in Newport Beach, Calif.

That’s where New York Jets rookie safety Jaylen Key spent a week after minicamp, taking part in a celebration called “Irrelevant Week.”

A former USC wide receiver, Paul Salata, played football in the NFL for several seasons, including with the San Francisco 49ers.

In 1976 he and the Balboa Bay Club invited the final player selected — which was Pittsburgh wide receiver Kevin Kirk — to enjoy a week of activities celebrating his selection and highlighting overlooked NFL players.

Key learned that being the final selection in the NFL Draft comes with some serious perks, as chronicled by The Athletic.

When he arrived, he and his family didn’t stay in a hotel. They stayed in the top floor of the home of Salata’s daughter, Melanie Salata Fitch, who is now the CEO of Irrelevant Week.

The biggest event had Key step off a yacht with Elton John’s hit “Benny and the Jets” blaring from loudspeakers as he was greeted by several hundred fans. After that, he headed to the Cannery Restaurant for an evening of celebration that raised money for Children’s Hospital of Orange County and the Orange County Youth Sports Foundation, among others.

He was even roasted as part of the celebration, which included former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and Matt Willig, an ex-Jet turned Hollywood actor.

One of the jokes came from a former NFL wide receiver, Ron Brown, who said “I wanted to roast you but you’re a Jet, it’s already bad.”

The evening also came with a watch and a key to the city.

Other activities included a trip to NFL Network studios in Culver City for a round of interviews, along with a pub crawl through Newport Beach that included pizza making, a fun run and guest bartending duties at the Stag Bar. He even stopped at the Helmsman Ale House, where he was challenged to eat as many wings as possible in 30 seconds, then do as many bicep curls as possible in the same amount of time.

Per The Athletic, he ate two wings and did 37 curls.

As the week continued Key participated in activities that were tailored to him, including his favorite foods and learning new activities like jet skiing and surfing, the latter of which came with a surfboard that featured a Jets logo.

He also went to a Los Angeles Angels game and got to watch batting practice, the same day Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh attended the game.

Key played his last season of college football for Alabama, where he was a starting safety and finished with 60 tackles and an interception in coach Nick Saban’s final season leading the program. The Crimson Tide lost in the College Football Playoff semifinals, oddly enough at the Rose Bowl in nearby Pasadena.

Before that, Key played four seasons for UAB starting in 2019.

In 2022 he had 60 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and two forced fumbles. That earned him honorable mention honors in Conference USA, after which he entered the transfer portal.

Key was considered a three-star recruit coming out of Godby High School in Quincy, Fla.