Alabama Football: Prothro Finally Has Shot With NFL

Former Alabama football wide receiver Tyrone Prothro finally has a shot at the NFL – 11 years after the leg injury that seemingly ended his football dreams.

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Former Alabama football player Tyrone Prothro has been leading a very low-key life since graduating from the University in 2008. In the last eight years, the former wide receiver has worked for Regions bank, been an account manager for the Coca-Cola corporation, and worked at Tuscaloosa Toyota. While solid, steady jobs, they are far from the NFL dreams Prothro once held.

September 10th, 2005, Tyrone Prothro played in the Alabama football game against Southern Mississippi. The Tide won the matchup 30-21, but most people don’t remember the score – they remember The Catch.

Just before haltime, Prothro caught a deep pass thrown by quarterback Brodie Croyle behind the head of Southern Miss defender Jasper Faulk. They tumbled over one another, and somehow, Prothro managed to hang on to the ball. He was awarded the Pontiac Game Changing Play of the Year that fall, and the next summer, won an ESPY award for Best Play.
“The Catch” is the highest ranked football play on the list of greatest catches of all time by The Best Damn Sports Show Period, at number eight.

Tragically, just three weeks later, Prothro suffered a career ending leg injury too gruesome to post a link to the video. Though they earned the 31-3 victory over Florida, Alabama football lost one of its greatest players of the time when his lower left leg snapped completely in half, breaking both the tibula and fibula, and tearing his calf muscles.

Despite multiple surgeries and extensive rehab, Prothro was eventually taken off the roster and placed on a medical hardship scholarship in 2007 by coach Nick Saban, who said there was no way Prothro could play again.

Saban’s words were true: Prothro never played another down of college football, and his NFL dreams seemed shattered.

Until today.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016, Tyrone Prothro was hired by the Carolina Panthers an an intern coach for training camp, as reported by Saturday Down South. Prothro will be working with his first Alabama football head coach, the Panther’s offensive coordinator Mike Shula.

It’s a different kind of position in the NFL than Prothro had hoped – instead of playing wide receiver, Prothro will be on the sidelines learning the coaching side of the game. Hopefully, with his experience playing for the Crimson Tide, an epic play, and an ESPY all under his belt, Prothro will find a career in which he will thrive.

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Thank you for your playing days at Alabama, and for giving us one of the greatest college football plays of all time. We want to see your NFL dreams finally come true, Prothro. The Alabama football nation has your back, always. Roll Tide.