Bralen Trice, outside linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons, has returned to training camp after recovering from a torn ACL that sidelined him for nearly a year. The turning point in his recovery came when he regained full range of motion in his knee, a milestone celebrated by his support team.
“Everybody’s jumping around the training room,” Trice said. “Because they treat it like a huge deal when you finally get that extension.”
Although this was a significant step, Trice noted it was not the end of his rehabilitation process. “When I finally hit that,” Trice said, “I was like, ‘All right, smooth. I’m going to get this done.'”
Trice spent most of the offseason working with athletic trainers to regain speed and strength rather than participating in regular team activities. Head coach Raheem Morris stated that Trice is “ready to go” for training camp but will have some modifications to his routine. Other players such as Kaleb McGary and Kyle Pitts Sr. are also following modified regimens.
“I was so fired up about Bralen last year, and it’s the same thing this year,” Morris said. “That injury was heartbreaking for all of us.”
The Falcons selected Trice in the third round of the 2024 draft. He quickly made an impression during preseason practices but suffered his injury during an exhibition game against the Miami Dolphins, leading to a season-ending placement on injured reserve.
“You never think that’s going to be you in that situation,” Trice said. “When it happens, you’re kind of surprised.”
Now entering his second season and feeling fully healthy, Trice is adapting to changes under new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. The system emphasizes aggressive play focused on pressuring quarterbacks—a style well-suited to Trice’s abilities.
“I’ve always believed that defense should be on our terms,” Ulbrich said. “Offense, it’s designed to be on their terms, and they dictate the personnel groupings. They snap the ball when they want to snap it. But, beyond that, we will dictate how this game goes, and to do that, there has to be, in my opinion, a little bit less of a read element, more of an attack mentality.
“So, that’s what we’re ingraining in these guys. The beauty of it is we have guys that are built for this life, guys that are aggressive and tough. Bralen is absolutely one of those guys.”
With padded practices beginning Tuesday and an upcoming exhibition game against the Detroit Lions at Mercedes-Benz Stadium next Friday, Trice aims to return seamlessly.
“I’m back,” Trice said. “Like nothing happened.”
