Mel Kiper Throws Double Birds at ESPN Mandate

CLAY: Las Vegas for the NFL Draft next week, there will be hundreds of thousands of people there. We’re number one in Las Vegas. I bet a lot of people listening to us in Vegas right now as well as many people who will drive in for the weekend from L.A. and San Diego and all these different places — Phoenix — to hang out for the weekend in Vegas and celebrate their team drafting.

So, Mel Kiper is a just absolutely universally known name in the NFL Draft. He’s been doing it since the draft was not even televised. Great, great personality and character in the ESPN talent family. He refused to get the covid shot, Buck. This just came out yesterday in advance of ESPN covering the NFL Draft, and Mel Kiper basically said — and I wish more people had been willing to do this. (summarized) “I understand, ESPN, that you are mandating everybody to get the covid shot. I ain’t doing it.”

And he basically threw up double birds at ESPN and dared them to fire him. ESPN, of course, did not because he’s the most well-known person in all of the NFL Draft coverage. And so Mel Kiper’s going to be covering this from home. Now, what makes it particularly absurd, Buck, is, as I just said:

Hundreds of thousands of people are attending the NFL Draft. None of them are going to be required to be vaccinated. None of them are going to be required to wear masks. Yet Mel Kiper has to appear from his home because he chose not to get the covid shot. But Mel Kiper’s moving up my draft board, Buck. This was a strong play by him.

BUCK: I just learned this gentleman’s name today, and he goes alongside my new favorite quarterback and my new favorite point guard, Aaron Rodgers and, of course, Kyrie Irving for people who take a stand for freedom. So I’ve gotta… I guess he doesn’t have a jersey ’cause he’s, like, an analyst, right? But —

CLAY: No, but he’s got really world-famous hair.

BUCK: Ohhhh.

CLAY: So it would make sense that you’d be a big Mel Kiper guy.

BUCK: Hair respects hair, Travis. Travis has got good hair. He’s got good hair.

CLAY: I do. I kept mine short. I’ve kept mine short. You’ve got full helmet there, so you’re in good shape.

BUCK: Just in case something goes wrong on the scooter, Clay…

CLAY: You gotta be protected.

BUCK: I can’t be on the injured reserve list ’cause I got a little thump on the skull; so I carry my helmet protection with me all the time: The swoop.