Newport Beach celebrates Desjuan Johnson in latest Irrelevant Week

A crowd full of local movers and shakers packed into the Cannery Restaurant on the waterfront of Newport Bay on Monday, but on this night, the view was a close second to the man of the hour.

Those in attendance were there to participate in one of Newport Beach’s most outrageous and beloved traditions of the last half century: Celebrating the underdog by honoring the last pick in the NFL draft.

Some surely wanted to dub the eatery a “Rams house” for the evening, as the Lowsman Banquet saw everyone trying to get a glimpse of and perhaps a moment with the Los Angeles Rams’ Desjuan Johnson, the newest member of the Mr. Irrelevant family.

Kingston Crockett, left, and brother Kenny show off their football signed by Mr. Irrelevant Desjuan Johnson at the Lowsman Banquet in Newport Beach on Monday.

(Susan Hoffman)

Johnson, a defensive lineman out of Toledo, became the 48th player to have the title of Mr. Irrelevant bestowed upon him after being taken with the 259th pick.

Flanked by family, Johnson sat at a round table on an outdoor deck overlooking the calm waters from which he had just arrived by boat. Before long, he was being roasted and toasted by a lineup of speakers.

Newport Beach officials presented Johnson with several gifts by dinner time. Fire Chief Jeff Boyles gave him a stuffed edition of a dalmatian, also known as a fireman’s best friend. Police Chief Joseph Cartwright gave him a box of doughnuts, some sprinkled with Rams’ colors and others shaped like footballs. And of course, Mayor Noah Blom handed him the key to the city, which, legend has it opens, any lock within the city limits.

Irrelevant Week CEO Melanie Salata Fitch welcomes Lowsman Banquet honoree Desjuan Johnson in Newport Beach on Monday.

(Susan Hoffman)

Standing next to the 6-foot-3, 252-pound Detroit native, Cartwright prefaced his jokes with, “Remember, we’re friends now, OK, so you don’t hurt friends,” for a bit of lighthearted self-preservation.

“What do the Rams and the post office have in common?” continued Cartwright, who professed that he did not write his jokes. “Neither of them deliver on Sundays.”

After the main course, it was time to hear from the football brethren. Four-time Super Bowl champion Jesse Sapolu, an offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers, and former Rams kicker Mike Lansford both remarked that they were “more irrelevant” than Johnson, having been taken later in the 11th and 12th round, respectively.

Irrelevant Week CEO Melanie Salata Fitch welcomes guests during the Lowsman Banquet in Newport Beach on Monday.

(Susan Hoffman)

With reverence to the late Paul Salata, who lived by the mantra of “do something nice for someone for no reason,” and created the Mr. Irrelevant award, Sapolu offered his own advice to the new Mr. Irrelevant.

“Here’s the mindset that I want you to take, and I used that mindset when I felt disrespected,” Sapolu told Johnson. “You know, we talk about the legacy of Paul Salata wanting to do something nice for somebody for no apparent reason. I want you to make people pay. Every defensive lineman that you come across in camp, make them pay for no apparent reason.”

While Sapolu advised Johnson that all he needed was an opportunity to make the team, he didn’t miss his chance to take a dig at a new NFC West division rival. Sapolu said, “Rookies are allowed to make two mistakes a year,” and the crowd guffawed when he made it clear he wouldn’t mind if those miscues came in the weeks the Rams play the 49ers.

Cheerleaders welcome guests to the Mr. Irrelevant Lowsman Banquet at the Cannery Restaurant in Newport Beach on Monday.

(Susan Hoffman)

San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy, who was last year’s Mr. Irrelevant before leading the 49ers to the NFC championship game, sent in a video welcoming Johnson to the club. Former Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo also presented him with a Rams watch.

Tim Mead was honored with the Paul Salata “Hero Beyond the Hashmarks” award for contributions in the community. The Orange County Youth Sports Foundation was the primary beneficiary from the fundraiser.

Irrelevant Week reached its end on Tuesday. Johnson visited the Newport Beach junior lifeguards program, before heading over to Angel Stadium, where he witnessed a two-home run, 10-strikeout performance by Shohei Ohtani.

Mr. Irrelevant Desjuan Johnson, far left, chats with guests at the Lowsman Banquet in Newport Beach on Monday.

(Susan Hoffman)

The weekend was not without its own highlights. On Friday, Johnson went to Disneyland, clad in a jersey shirt with his last name above the number 259 on the back, as well as a set of Mickey Mouse ears with the name “Mr. Irrelevant” inscribed.

On Saturday, a few dozen people were on hand at 30th Street beach to see Johnson’s first attempt at surfing. His uncle, Roland Stegar, got up on the board first, but Australian surfer Peter “PT” Townend ultimately graded them very closely.

“First thing is he’s never even been in the Pacific Ocean,” Townend said of the difficulty in getting up on a surfboard. “That challenge alone, to even jump in the water and even just walking out. … It’s only like 2 feet today, but even when a 2-foot wave hits you, you realize the power of the ocean.

“For the first-time experience, for him to go out there, he got one, a pretty decent one. That’s an accomplishment right there in itself. It takes years. … For them to get to their feet on the first day in the Pacific Ocean is a pretty serious accomplishment.”

Johnson said he felt he got better and better with each pass at the waves. Throughout the week, Johnson expressed how thrilled he was to share it with his family.

“Everything’s been the best,” Johnson said after getting out of the water. “I can’t pick and choose one. Everything’s been the best, as far as my family coming out here and just spending time with me, spending some quality time with my family. That’s one of the best things that I was looking forward to, just seeing smiles on everybody’s faces.”

Asked about the toughest part of surfing, Stegar’s focus was on soaking up the beauty of the Newport coastline.

“The hardest part is understanding that I’m going to have to leave,” Stegar said. “That’s the hardest part. It’s the reality of it all, but I’m going to enjoy every single second. I was walking the beach at 5 o’clock this morning, taking in all the beauty, the sun, the seashells on the shore, the seagulls, the smell of the ocean, just taking in all this beauty.”