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Another article from the DPO
A week after his father was murdered, Alex Forsyth played a basketball game in his honor.
He was 12 years old.
“I knew that he would want me to,” Forsyth told The Denver Post. “To this day, I am trying to continue his legacy.”
Unless you follow Oregon football, you probably don’t know Alex Forsyth. He was a seventh-round pick by the Broncos in the 2023 draft. He spent last season on the practice squad, receiving unsolicited praise from coach Sean Payton during press conferences for his relentless work ethic.
Forsyth’s anonymity vanished this spring as a candidate to replace departed starting center Lloyd Cushenberry, while becoming a valuable resource in Payton’s pre-draft evaluation of former Ducks teammate Bo Nix.
It feels like Forsyth is on the cusp of doing something special.
I hope so,” Forsyth, 25, said. “It’s about stacking good days and competing.”
Whether Forsyth reaches the top of the depth chart or not, he has already turned tragedy into triumph. His life changed forever on Dec. 11, 2012.
His father Steve, who coached Alex in sports since kindergarten, was killed in a public mall shooting at Clackamas Town Center in Happy Valley, Ore., 13 miles outside of Portland. Steve was operating a kiosk, waiting to visit with his wife Carla and step-daughter Katie Hughes when a gunman’s random shots ended his life.
Steve was a beacon of light in the West Linn, Ore., community as a general sales manager at Entercom Communications before starting his own firm, Big Feat marketing. Many, though, knew him as a youth coach, where his care and passion for impacting others made an unforgettable impression.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was an incredibly tough time for me and my family. I think you have to roll with the punches. Life is not always fair. I did not want to pity myself. My dad taught me that at a young age. You don’t want to throw a pity party because no one is going to show up except for yourself. He always used to tell me that,” Forsyth said. “He was my coach in pretty much every sport. It was so unfortunate what happened. I had to keep on moving on. My goal is to provide for my mom, my sister and my family. I have just kind of carried that throughout my life.”
Forsyth could have felt more alone than ever. Instead, he leaned on family, friends and, ultimately, football. Steve was athletic, playing college hoops at the University of San Diego. Agile and strong, Alex became an all-state offensive lineman at West Linn High School, leading the team to a 6A state championship when the Lions wore an “SF” decal on their helmets for Steve.
As Forsyth entered his freshman year at Oregon, Alex, Carla and Katie established the Steve Forsyth Memorial Fund, a non-profit that awards up to four need-based, $2,500 scholarships annually to West Linn students. It represents a way to “carry on his spirit of generosity, enthusiasm and trailblazing,” per the website.
Alex, whose passion for the written word was stoked as an advertising major at Oregon, helps read the essays and select the recipients.
“Going through them, you realize a lot of people go through tough times. That’s kind of helped me in my life,” Forsyth said.
Forsyth, like his father, is generous with his time. He is always looking to help others. At Oregon, he volunteered at the Eugene Mission homeless shelter, Food for Lane County and KidSports. In 2022, he was named one of three finalists for the Jason Witten Man of the Year award, recognizing a college football player who demonstrates an outstanding record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship.
“My dad always put others before himself,” Alex said, “so I just try to emulate that in how I live my life.”
Football is central to Forsyth’s journey. At 6-foot-4, 312 pounds, he brings good size and strength to the center position. Under offensive line boss Zach Strief, he is progressing. Overlooked in college, Strief crafted a 12-year career with the New Orleans Saints.
“I love being coached by coach Strief. Throughout the draft process, I knew I was going to be a later round pick. We were both seventh-rounders,” Forsyth said. “I feel like I have learned a lot from him technique wise, and then obviously he had a great career with the Saints and I am trying to do what he did.”
Football did not come easily for Forsyth, forcing him to live in the playbook. At Oregon, the schemes and the calls started to make sense, allowing him to revel in the hours logged in the shadows.
“He was a great leader,” Nix said of his one college season with Forysth. “He was an unbelievable player for the program.”
Payton makes no secret that he wants tough, smart players. IQ is not a luxury, but rather a necessity in the middle of the line.
“We knew when we drafted him he was extremely intelligent. You could see that in his film,” Payton said. “It’s one of the reasons why I sat down with him to discuss Nix. I knew that he would give a responsible, thoughtful answer.”
As he toiled on the practice squad, Forsyth approached the workouts with purpose. His goal was to get better at two things every day. It usually involved improving his eyes in pass protection, “finding a small target,” and making his hands quicker “because everything happens a lot faster at this level,” he explained.
His determination is paying dividends. He could have become lost in the wash like so many Day 3 picks. Not Forsyth. He remains in the mix to start.
Somewhere Steve is watching and smiling.
“He was a lot like me. I feel like he was a little quieter, but he had a louder personality when he got on the field,” Alex said. “I am nowhere near where I want to be yet but I think the biggest thing is for me to continue excelling at my game to make him proud and make myself proud of my last name.”
A week after his father was murdered, Alex Forsyth played a basketball game in his honor.
He was 12 years old.
“I knew that he would want me to,” Forsyth told The Denver Post. “To this day, I am trying to continue his legacy.”
Unless you follow Oregon football, you probably don’t know Alex Forsyth. He was a seventh-round pick by the Broncos in the 2023 draft. He spent last season on the practice squad, receiving unsolicited praise from coach Sean Payton during press conferences for his relentless work ethic.
Forsyth’s anonymity vanished this spring as a candidate to replace departed starting center Lloyd Cushenberry, while becoming a valuable resource in Payton’s pre-draft evaluation of former Ducks teammate Bo Nix.
It feels like Forsyth is on the cusp of doing something special.
I hope so,” Forsyth, 25, said. “It’s about stacking good days and competing.”
Whether Forsyth reaches the top of the depth chart or not, he has already turned tragedy into triumph. His life changed forever on Dec. 11, 2012.
His father Steve, who coached Alex in sports since kindergarten, was killed in a public mall shooting at Clackamas Town Center in Happy Valley, Ore., 13 miles outside of Portland. Steve was operating a kiosk, waiting to visit with his wife Carla and step-daughter Katie Hughes when a gunman’s random shots ended his life.
Steve was a beacon of light in the West Linn, Ore., community as a general sales manager at Entercom Communications before starting his own firm, Big Feat marketing. Many, though, knew him as a youth coach, where his care and passion for impacting others made an unforgettable impression.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was an incredibly tough time for me and my family. I think you have to roll with the punches. Life is not always fair. I did not want to pity myself. My dad taught me that at a young age. You don’t want to throw a pity party because no one is going to show up except for yourself. He always used to tell me that,” Forsyth said. “He was my coach in pretty much every sport. It was so unfortunate what happened. I had to keep on moving on. My goal is to provide for my mom, my sister and my family. I have just kind of carried that throughout my life.”
Forsyth could have felt more alone than ever. Instead, he leaned on family, friends and, ultimately, football. Steve was athletic, playing college hoops at the University of San Diego. Agile and strong, Alex became an all-state offensive lineman at West Linn High School, leading the team to a 6A state championship when the Lions wore an “SF” decal on their helmets for Steve.
As Forsyth entered his freshman year at Oregon, Alex, Carla and Katie established the Steve Forsyth Memorial Fund, a non-profit that awards up to four need-based, $2,500 scholarships annually to West Linn students. It represents a way to “carry on his spirit of generosity, enthusiasm and trailblazing,” per the website.
Alex, whose passion for the written word was stoked as an advertising major at Oregon, helps read the essays and select the recipients.
“Going through them, you realize a lot of people go through tough times. That’s kind of helped me in my life,” Forsyth said.
Forsyth, like his father, is generous with his time. He is always looking to help others. At Oregon, he volunteered at the Eugene Mission homeless shelter, Food for Lane County and KidSports. In 2022, he was named one of three finalists for the Jason Witten Man of the Year award, recognizing a college football player who demonstrates an outstanding record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship.
“My dad always put others before himself,” Alex said, “so I just try to emulate that in how I live my life.”
Football is central to Forsyth’s journey. At 6-foot-4, 312 pounds, he brings good size and strength to the center position. Under offensive line boss Zach Strief, he is progressing. Overlooked in college, Strief crafted a 12-year career with the New Orleans Saints.
“I love being coached by coach Strief. Throughout the draft process, I knew I was going to be a later round pick. We were both seventh-rounders,” Forsyth said. “I feel like I have learned a lot from him technique wise, and then obviously he had a great career with the Saints and I am trying to do what he did.”
Football did not come easily for Forsyth, forcing him to live in the playbook. At Oregon, the schemes and the calls started to make sense, allowing him to revel in the hours logged in the shadows.
“He was a great leader,” Nix said of his one college season with Forysth. “He was an unbelievable player for the program.”
Payton makes no secret that he wants tough, smart players. IQ is not a luxury, but rather a necessity in the middle of the line.
“We knew when we drafted him he was extremely intelligent. You could see that in his film,” Payton said. “It’s one of the reasons why I sat down with him to discuss Nix. I knew that he would give a responsible, thoughtful answer.”
As he toiled on the practice squad, Forsyth approached the workouts with purpose. His goal was to get better at two things every day. It usually involved improving his eyes in pass protection, “finding a small target,” and making his hands quicker “because everything happens a lot faster at this level,” he explained.
His determination is paying dividends. He could have become lost in the wash like so many Day 3 picks. Not Forsyth. He remains in the mix to start.
Somewhere Steve is watching and smiling.
“He was a lot like me. I feel like he was a little quieter, but he had a louder personality when he got on the field,” Alex said. “I am nowhere near where I want to be yet but I think the biggest thing is for me to continue excelling at my game to make him proud and make myself proud of my last name.”
