‘Who in the hell is Mel Kiper?!’ – Iconic NFL Draft moment saw GM attack ESPN expert on live TV
The NFL Draft wasn’t always the three-day TV extravaganza it is today. Picks were made in a hotel room with names written on a blackboard — a far cry from commissioner Roger Goodell welcoming the next generation of stars on stage in front of tens of thousands of fans. GettyESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. is well known by young and old NFL fans[/caption] But the league realized the potential of the annual event and found the model the NBA is now trying to copy. Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. inadvertently played a key role in paving the way in an iconic exchange worthy of a Hollywood film. The class of 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 kicking in 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 Kiper and Indianapolis Colts general manager Bill Tobin. The analyst was adamant that the Colts needed to draft a new QB, instead of relying on veteran Jim Harbaugh, who now coaches the Los Angeles Chargers. Indy had other ideas, passing on QB prospects Heath Shuler and Trent Dilfer, despite holding the second and eighth overall picks. Faulk came off the board with the No.2 pick and when Indy traded with the Los Angeles Rams to move up to fifth everybody thought Dilfer was the man. Linebacker Trev Alberts was selected instead. Cue the live fireworks, during a time when cable TV was becoming common place in America and ESPN was taking shape as the self-described World Wide Leader of televised sports. “I knew you’d have one surprise for us today,” said ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, as Tobin sat down for a low-key draft-day interview. youtube@nflfilmsColts GM Bill Tobin didn’t like Kiper questioning his football knowledge[/caption] youtube@nflfilmsKiper had to sit and take it, but was right that Indy needed a better QB[/caption] youtube@nflfilmsKiper’s name became synonymous with NFL Draft coverage on TV[/caption] “It’s not a surprise to us,” Tobin quickly fired back. When it was mentioned that the Colts had received a “lot” of criticism for not drafting a quarterback, Tobin fired back even harder. “Well, we got a guy up there — who in the hell is Mel Kiper, anyway?!” an angry Tobin said. “I mean, here’s a guy that criticizes everybody, whoever they take. He’s got the answers to who you should take, who you shouldn’t take. “And my knowledge of him, he’s never, ever 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 he’s an expert. “We don’t have to take anybody that Mel Kiper says we have to take. Mel Kiper has no more credentials to do what he’s doing than my neighbor, and my neighbor’s a postman, and he doesn’t even have season tickets to the NFL.” Kiper defended himself and his analysis, while Tobin fumed. NFL's Greatest...... Ranking the top 10...... Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady? Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top? Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barrie Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmett Smith and more Tight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare? In the end, both were wrong. Shuler and Alberts were total busts, while Dilfer was a solid pro QB but not a true franchise changer. Dilfer made one Pro Bowl in 13 seasons and bounced around to five teams. He won a Super Bowl in 1997 with Tampa Bay but the Buccaneers’ defense deserved the credit. Today, Dilfer is viewed as an exception to the norm when franchise QBs winning the big game is discussed. Faulk went into the Hall of Fame but Kiper was right that Indy needed a better answer at QB in 1994. The Colts went 8-8 that year and had fallen to 3-13 by 1997. That led Indy to the No. 1 overall pick in ’98, when the Colts stuck to their draft board and took Peyton Manning instead of future-bust Ryan Leaf. Tobin passed away at 83 in 2024. 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 decorated career,” Kiper tweeted. “I send sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones.” Mortensen died in 2024 after a lengthy career with 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 NFL Draft wasn’t always the three-day TV extravaganza it is today.
Picks were made in a hotel room with names written on a blackboard — a far cry from commissioner Roger Goodell welcoming the next generation of stars on stage in front of tens of thousands of fans.
But the league realized the potential of the annual event and found the model the NBA is now trying to copy.
Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. inadvertently played a key role in paving the way in an iconic exchange worthy of a Hollywood film.
The class of 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 kicking in 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 Kiper and Indianapolis Colts general manager Bill Tobin.
The analyst was adamant that the Colts needed to draft a new QB, instead of relying on veteran Jim Harbaugh, who now coaches the Los Angeles Chargers.
Indy had other ideas, passing on QB prospects Heath Shuler and Trent Dilfer, despite holding the second and eighth overall picks.
Faulk came off the board with the No.2 pick and when Indy traded with the Los Angeles Rams to move up to fifth everybody thought Dilfer was the man. Linebacker Trev Alberts was selected instead.
Cue the live fireworks, during a time when cable TV was becoming common place in America and ESPN was taking shape as the self-described World Wide Leader of televised sports.
“I knew you’d have one surprise for us today,” said ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, as Tobin sat down for a low-key draft-day interview.
“It’s not a surprise to us,” Tobin quickly fired back.
When it was mentioned that the Colts had received a “lot” of criticism for not drafting a quarterback, Tobin fired back even harder.
“Well, we got a guy up there — who in the hell is Mel Kiper, anyway?!” an angry Tobin said. “I mean, here’s a guy that criticizes everybody, whoever they take. He’s got the answers to who you should take, who you shouldn’t take.
“And my knowledge of him, he’s never, ever 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 he’s an expert.
“We don’t have to take anybody that Mel Kiper says we have to take. Mel Kiper has no more credentials to do what he’s doing than my neighbor, and my neighbor’s a postman, and he doesn’t even have season tickets to the NFL.”
Kiper defended himself and his analysis, while Tobin fumed.
NFL's Greatest......
Ranking the top 10......
Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?
Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?
Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barrie Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmett Smith and more
Tight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?
In the end, both were wrong.
Shuler and Alberts were total busts, while Dilfer was a solid pro QB but not a true franchise changer.
Dilfer made one Pro Bowl in 13 seasons and bounced around to five teams.
He won a Super Bowl in 1997 with Tampa Bay but the Buccaneers’ defense deserved the credit.
Today, Dilfer is viewed as an exception to the norm when franchise QBs winning the big game is discussed.
Faulk went into the Hall of Fame but Kiper was right that Indy needed a better answer at QB in 1994.
The Colts went 8-8 that year and had fallen to 3-13 by 1997.
That led Indy to the No. 1 overall pick in ’98, when the Colts stuck to their draft board and took Peyton Manning instead of future-bust Ryan Leaf.
Tobin passed away at 83 in 2024.
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 decorated career,” Kiper tweeted. “I send sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
Mortensen died in 2024 after a lengthy career with 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.
