Brian Banks (American football) facts for kids
Banks in 2018
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| No. 53, 55 | |
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| Position: | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | July 24, 1985 Long Beach, California, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight: | 249 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Long Beach Polytechnic |
| College: | Long Beach City College |
| Undrafted: | 2007 |
| Career history | |
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Brian Keith Banks (born July 24, 1985) is a former professional football player from the United States. He played as a Linebacker. Brian Banks is known for his inspiring story of overcoming a huge challenge to return to playing football.
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Early Life and High School Football
Brian Banks grew up in Long Beach, California. He went to Long Beach Polytechnic High School, which is often called Poly. Brian was a very talented football player in high school. He played alongside other future football stars like DeSean Jackson and Marcedes Lewis. Many people thought he would have a great career in college football. He even planned to play for the University of Southern California (USC).
A Difficult Challenge
In 2002, when Brian was still in high school, he faced a very difficult situation. He was wrongly accused of a serious crime he did not commit. Because of this false accusation, Brian spent nearly six years in prison. After that, he spent five more years on parole, which meant he had to follow strict rules after leaving prison.
Proving Innocence and a New Start
In 2012, Brian's life changed dramatically. The person who accused him finally admitted that her story was not true. This meant Brian was proven innocent, and his conviction was overturned. This was a huge moment for Brian, as it cleared his name.
After being proven innocent, Brian wanted to get back to playing football. It had been many years since he played in a real game. He worked incredibly hard to get back into shape and show teams what he could do.
Professional Football Career
Brian's journey back to football was not easy, but he was determined.
Playing for the Las Vegas Locomotives
In the summer of 2012, Brian got tryouts with several NFL teams. These included the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. He also attended a special training camp with the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks' coach, Pete Carroll, was the same coach who had offered Brian a scholarship to USC years before.
On September 20, 2012, Brian signed with the Las Vegas Locomotives. This team was part of the UFL. He played in two games for the Locomotives. These were his first official games since high school, more than 11 years earlier! The UFL season ended early in October that year.
Joining the Atlanta Falcons
Brians hard work paid off when he signed with the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL on April 3, 2013. He joined the team for their offseason training and practices. Brian even played in four preseason games for the Falcons. He made his NFL debut in a preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Although he played well, he was released by the Falcons on August 30, 2013.
Working with the NFL
Even after his playing career ended, Brian continued to be involved with football. In 2014, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asked Brian to speak at the NFL Rookie Symposium. This event helps new NFL players learn about life in the league. Brian's speech was very powerful and well-received.
A few weeks later, Brian was hired to work for the NFL's Department of Operations. In this role, he helps with various parts of how the league runs.
Personal Life
In May 2015, Brian Banks married Emmy Marino. They later divorced in February 2017.
Film About His Story
Brian Banks' incredible story has been made into a movie! A film based on his life premiered in 2018 and was released in August 2019. The movie is called Brian Banks. It stars Aldis Hodge as Brian Banks. Brian himself was one of the people who helped produce the movie.
See also
- List of wrongful convictions in the United States
External links
- Atlanta Falcons bio
- Las Vegas Locomotives bio
- Just Sports Stats
