Brian Banks on NFL debut: “It was out of control”
By Mike Dyce
The story of Atlanta Falcons linebacker Brian Banks is heart breaking. Banks was wrongfully imprisoned for falsified rape charges and was eventually exonerated. Throughout the whole ordeal he has remained positive in attitude and demeanor.
Banks made is delayed NFL debut in Thursday night’s preseason game in the 4th quarter. That moment is something that will stick out in his memory forever.
“It was out of control,” Banks said, via Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Just running out there — the flames, the cheers, the crowd. I wasn’t nervous at all but just the emotion of running through the tunnel, the adrenalin that comes with it, is better than any rollercoaster ride you could get on.”
Banks is considered to be a long shot to make the Falcons final roster.
“Do I have to make it?” Banks said. “I don’t feel like I have to, but I want to — not just for myself but for my family, for the people who’ve supported me and believed in me. For people who’ve lost hope in their own [life]. If I can be some kind of vessel, to show people that no matter the hard time you experienced, you can still succeed, I want to put out that positive energy, to never quit and never give up.”
I hope he makes it.
“This is what I was waiting for the whole time. I played an NFL game today.”