From Mr. Irrelevant to 'The Bachelorette'

"The other men are horrified when Ryan doesn't offer her her coat outside and hogs most of the blanket. As he tells her he's been in the NFL, Spero walks out and says, 'Hey dude, why didn't you give your coat?' and wraps his own jacket around DeAnna's bare shoulders. Ryan apologizes and the other men joke that Spero, 'threw Ryan under the bus.' Ryan is sure that he's blown his chance for one of the first impression roses." -- Recap of episode 1 of the new season of The Bachelorette.

Just in case you were frantically trying to find out who exactly was the "pro football player" named "Ryan" on the season debut for The Bachelorette, you've come to the right place as "Greatest Pro Bowls of all time, and other stuff" is here to provide a very valuable public service.

You're welcome.

The gentleman's name is Ryan Hoag. Avid TV viewers only know him as "Ryan," who claimed to have been "in and out of the NFL for the last five years." Avid football fans will recall Ryan Hoag, who was Mr. Irrevelant in the 2003 NFL Draft (the honor bestowed on the final player selected in the draft). His NFL resume suggests that the former Mr. Irrevelant should be very used to rejection.

Here's a short recap ...

Drafted by Raiders (pick No. 262) in 2003, released during training camp that same year.

Signed to Giants practice squad later in 2003, then released in May of 2004.

Signed by Vikings in June of 2004, spent three magical weeks on the team's active roster before being dropped to the practice squad, then released in September of 2005.

Signed again by the Vikings in April of 2006, then released for a second time by the team in Sept. of 2006.

Signed by the Redskins on Nov. 22, 2006, then released six days later.

Signed again by the Redskins, sent to play for the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europa, then was released in the team's final roster cuts in 2007.

Signed by the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League, then released a month later.

Signs up to appear as one of 25 men vying to win the heart of one DeAnna Pappas on The Bachelorette, then was somehow awarded a rose in the show's first such ceremony, thus avoiding inevitable rejection for at least another week or so.

Much will made of Hoag in the coming weeks (or months, if the former footballer somehow survives the grueling test of winning over the heart of a woman who has many men to choose from), however, the book appears closed on his NFL career ... 0 games, 0 catches, 0 yards ... for the wide receiver out of tiny Gustavus Adolphus.