Bama Central

The Extra Point: The NFL Preseason is Really About Players like Miller Forristall

Former Alabama tight end made the most of his opportunities in his first exhibition game with the Titans, and capped the game with a memorable touchdown.

Christopher Walsh

It wasn't just a touchdown anywhere. 

It was a touchdown near his hometown of Cartersville, Georgia, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where he had so much success with the Alabama football program. 

Last Friday, former Crimson Tide tight end Miller Forristall caught a touchdown pass during his first NFL preseason game, a 12-yard reception in the fourth quarter to cap a 23-3 victory against the Falcons. 

Most of the headlines coming into the game were about Julio Jones, who was traded from Atlanta to Tennessee during the offseason, or Falcons head coach Arthur Smith facing his former team, the Titans, with whom he had been the offensive coordinator. 

That's all great and all, but Jones didn't play and Smith was probably too busy evaluating the players on his team and setting the tone of what he expects during his first game as a head coach. 

In reality, the NFL preseason is really about guys like Forristall, who is doing everything he can to try and latch on and continue his football career. 

Although Alabama had 10 players selected off the national championship team in the 2021 NFL Draft, Forristall wasn't among them.  

That alone makes him a longshot to make an NFL roster. 

He's someone you almost can't help root for. Forristall is coachable, can quickly learn a playbook, and play on a variety of special teams. He's also personable and a bit on the chatty side (which made him a breath of fresh air for Crimson Tide reporters).

However, the Titans already have established veterans on the roster with Geoff Swaim, Anthony Firkser and Luke Stocker, plus Deon Yelder just signed with the team. 

If anything, Forristall knows that the coaching staff took a long look at him against the Falcons. He had the second most minutes played among the tight ends, and was second in team receptions with three. 

One was the touchdown, which at minimum gave him a memorable moment, one that he'll certainly enjoy regardless if what happens. 

“It felt like the ball was in the air for like 10 minutes,” Forristall told AllTitians.com. “But that was awesome. It was really cool, where I grew up to catch a touchdown, and celebrate with my teammates. It was a really cool experience. I will cherish that one for a while.”

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The Extra Point is a regular feature on BamaCentral, and often includes video and other elements from our FanNation partners. Other recent segments include:

Patrick Surtain II is off to a Sizzling Start with Broncos

Keeping Up With Alabama's Players in the NFL, Like Carson Tinker

Derrick Henry's Workload a Hot Topic with the Titans

How Close is Marlon Humphrey to Being the NFL's Best Cornerback?

You Know the Season is Near When Injured Players Starting Ramping it Up

Titans Not Concerned Julio Jones Won't Play in Preseason Opener

Why Tua Tagovailoa's Preseason Opener Was Better Than Most Realize

Published
Christopher Walsh
CHRISTOPHER WALSH

Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of BamaCentral, which first published in 2018. He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004, and is the author of 26 books including Decade of Dominance, 100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Nick Saban vs. College Football, and Bama Dynasty: The Crimson Tide's Road to College Football Immortality. He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.