Turf Toe Messed Up Scotty Miller’s 2021 Season
May 11th, 2022
Still in the mix.
Joe gets this question a lot and never really had an answer for it. But yesterday, it seemed like an answer surfaced.
Joe was pelted with questions late in the 2022 season about why the Bucs, who were deluged with injuries to their receivers, didn’t use the hero of the 2020 NFC Championship game more? And that would be receiver Scotty Miller.
The Bowling Green product made one of the greatest plays in franchise history catching a bomb from Tom Brady just before halftime against the Packers that proved to be the difference in the game and sent the Bucs to the Super Bowl. Miller was a no-show at receiver in the final weeks of the season.
Per receivers coach Kevin Garver, that was because Miller never fully recovered last year from his turf toe injury. It also hurt (no pun intended) that when Miller was on the injured reserve list, other receivers were getting the job done.
“I think last year was kind of weird,” Garver began. “He went out with the injury, and with the timing of it, other guys kind of stepped up in that place and in that role. So, it kind of made it a little harder for him to get back right away.”
Miller did make two key plays in two critical games, both on the punt team. He recovered a fumble at Indianapolis late in the game that helped turn the tide in a one-score game, and he helped force a fumble in the playoff win over the Eagles.
Garver insisted Miller is not a forgotten man.
“He’s going to have an opportunity just like everyone else,” Garver said. “Obviously, the Super Bowl run that year, he contributed a lot to us and to the offense and made a lot of big plays for us. He definitely has the ability and I think it’s just a matter of what he does on the field moving forward.”
With Chris Godwin down for who knows how long, Miller should get a chance to make plays. He already has chemistry with Tom Brady, something Joe isn’t sure Russell Gage can develop in the next four months. So that is a plus.
Joe’s guesses if Miller is making plays for the Bucs, the Bucs will be winning ballgames. Maybe that’s on offense and maybe that’s on special teams.
May 11th, 2022 at 11:05 am
Turf toe, for a speedy thoroughbred, is a real thing that can seriously affect performance, even if shot up.
May 11th, 2022 at 11:05 am
It also can become chronic.
May 11th, 2022 at 11:21 am
BA talked about Scotty needing to become more gritty to take the next step in his game. He looked to be taking that to heart, and got busted up a bit. I don’t think he can make a career as a deep threat only. That his success there early was in part being underestimated. Still he fought through injury and defined a role on the active roster. In a way he will likely need to repeat to make the 53. Hopefully this is the season where he starts to put it all together. Challenge defenses on all levels as a receiver while earning a feature role on special teams. Not an easy task for a guy his body type, but he does have speed that defenders know to honor. I think he took significant steps forward in playing through/with contact as a receiver and obviously playing on teams with some physicality. I think special teams could well be the deciding factor in the last WR slot, or maybe 2 even.
May 11th, 2022 at 11:23 am
He’s going to have a tough time making the team this year.
May 11th, 2022 at 11:30 am
I still think he is as good as 4th receiver the Bucs have.
May 11th, 2022 at 11:30 am
Hall of Famer Jack Lambert can tell anyone all about Turf Toe, It caused “Count Dracula in Cleats” to Retire.
GO BUCS!!!!!!
May 11th, 2022 at 11:37 am
I will give him a pass for last year but if it is a problem this year too then he is done for me.
May 11th, 2022 at 11:38 am
Miller will make the team because of his special team play.
May 11th, 2022 at 11:56 am
Scotty on the end around against Carolina was fire and dude wasn’t 100% at all. Getting him & Grayson on the field together should be interesting to see, especially out of a bunch set or stacked on the outside.
May 11th, 2022 at 12:21 pm
One trick pony. Without his speed, I doubt he could make a roster.
May 11th, 2022 at 12:26 pm
That’s pretty much all Tyreek Hill does, seems to work for him
May 11th, 2022 at 12:49 pm
When will people stop fantasizing over this guy.
May 11th, 2022 at 12:50 pm
This is a reprint from from my post replying to Buc Maniac on the Cyril Grayson thread about an hour before this one started, “I gotta go scoot over Darden. Scooter is a tough son of a gun and TB and he have chemistry that started with those unofficial practices in a local park in Tampa in 2020. There are quotes referring to the instant bond scoot had with Brady. Balls were dropping down perfectly in stride right into his hands. Scoot had a bad foot injury that ruined 2021 but he worked hard on STs and will come back strong this year.”
May 11th, 2022 at 12:58 pm
He was wearing wrong shoes. Prolly trying for a bit more speed.
May 11th, 2022 at 1:02 pm
Scotty Miller is definitely worth a position on the team and not sure why he cannot try out at kick and punt return. I gotta go Scoot over Darden too!
May 11th, 2022 at 1:06 pm
Ronny Lott would have chopped it off and gone back in the game.
May 11th, 2022 at 1:23 pm
Everybody keeps talking about Grayson & Miller’s speed and completely forget about Perriman……How about 4.19 40 time…..you read that right 4.19…….even if he’s lost a step, he’s still another burner……
We have some WRs that can get behind a defense for sure.
May 11th, 2022 at 1:43 pm
Primetime got bloodclots from his turf toe and had to amputate
May 11th, 2022 at 3:01 pm
Too many dumbarse fans brand him as a one trick pony. Look at the 2020 Chargers game. Look at the Rams 42 seconds left playoff game. He was key. He knows more than just a go route. Yes he’s little so no he’s not made for the Bucs slot. But kid can play and his shine on special teams makes him very useful.
Scotty haters should STFU.
Some idiot wants Farden over Scotty. Maroons.
May 11th, 2022 at 3:29 pm
Miller is one of those guys that will only get better and better as time goes on…unless injury limits him. He’s a hard worker. He’s got speed.
All he really needs is confidence and a good QB throwing to him.
He’s not a guy that will produce a lot if double covered…but he’s small enough and fast enough to confuse or outrace coverage.
Personally, I like him as a Buccaneer…and I think it is important to set an example with him. Work hard, and the pecking order won’t matter. You’ll get plays.
May 11th, 2022 at 3:31 pm
Tampabaybucfan Says
“Everybody keeps talking about Grayson & Miller’s speed and completely forget about Perriman”
I like Miller…but I also like Perriman. With those two here, that is decent depth.
May 11th, 2022 at 3:35 pm
I think he shows up whenever he gets the chance. I agree with Firethecannons..
May 11th, 2022 at 4:13 pm
I think Scotty has to step up beacuse l would really want to see this kid get more action. But remember he was open on some of the plays against the rams 🐑 and Brady just didn’t throw the ball to him on some of those plays
May 11th, 2022 at 5:53 pm
I’ve always liked Scotty Miller great speed hard worker he needs more play time
May 11th, 2022 at 7:01 pm
” Miller never fully recovered last year from his turf toe injury”
And he never will FULLY recover.
Scotty has all the resources in the world to get the best treatment possible – and yet its still unlikely that toe will ever feel completely “normal” again.
Turf Toe is a b!tch. Basically something you ‘live with’ the rest of your life. Constantly swelling and feeling re-aggrevated whenever you use it a good bit or put stress on that foot. Even years and decades later…
Just sayin. Voice of experience talking….
Hope I’m wrong for Scooter’s sake – but that toe is likely to be at least somewhat of an issue for Scotty the rest of his football career – and also rest of his life unfortunately.
May 11th, 2022 at 8:00 pm
Didnt stop him from playing special teams did it?