Paramount releases trailer for Mr. Irrelevant with David Corenswet as John Tuggle

Paramount has released the trailer for "Mr. Irrelevant: The John Tuggle Story," a sports biopic starring David Corenswet as the American football player taken with the final pick of the 1983 NFL draft, according to Variety.

The film is slated for theatrical release, meaning cinemas, on 25 December. Corenswet plays Tuggle, whose draft position gave him the nickname "Mr. Irrelevant," the label traditionally attached to the last player selected each year.

Tuggle was chosen by the New York Giants. The draft is the league's annual system for assigning college players to professional teams, and being picked last carries little expectation of making the squad.

He did. Tuggle made the Giants roster and played on special teams, the units used for kicking plays, before moving up to starting fullback, a blocking and short-running role, after Rob Carpenter was injured. His teammates later voted him special teams player of the year.

The supporting cast includes Isabel May as Katie, Michael Shannon as Giants head coach Bill Parcells and David Krumholtz as Julius "Whitey" Horai, according to Variety. Shannon plays the coach who led New York during Tuggle's time with the club.

Behind the camera, the film was written by Nick Santora and directed by Jonathan Levine. Santora, Levine and Gillian Bohrer are credited as producers.

The later part of Tuggle's story is sombre. After shoulder pain following a car crash led him to see a doctor, he was diagnosed with cancer. The Giants did not retain him after the 1985 season but paid for his health insurance until his death in 1986 at age 25.

New York wore his number 38 on helmets for the 1986-87 season. That season ended with a Super Bowl win.

What makes this stand out for general audiences is the angle. Most sports films follow stars. This one starts with the last name called.