The NFL Scouting Combine is a chance for team’s to measure, test, and talk to upcoming draft eligible players to gauge their pro potential. One of the most controversial aspects of the day is the interview section, where NFL teams have repeatedly asked inappropriate questions in order to see how a player responds. One recent question may take the cake as an all-time bad one.
CBS Sports talked to LSU safety Jalen Mills, who said one NFL team asked him “If you wanted to kill a guy, would you kill him with a gun or a knife?” That seems like a totally fair and relevant question to ask somebody who wants to play football.
Mills responded saying he’d choose the gun because it would be “less messy,” a response which was graded by the team interviewing him. Apparently the gun was the appropriate response, as killing with a knife would be considered a crime committed for fun.
I’m not sure what the NFL team asking the question hoped to get from Mills from his answer. Perhaps it was a trick question, and Mills should have said he would choose neither. Either way, it’s complete nonsense to ask him a question regarding killing a person.
Earlier this month an Atlanta Falcons assistant coach had to apologize for asking Eli Apple if he “liked men” during a combine interview. It’s questions like that and the one directed towards Mills which hold no merit. They’re intrusive, bizarre and inappropriate and makes the team asking the questions look idiotic.
