Growing up in Atlanta, Brice Butler can remember when the Falcons moved from Fulton-County Stadium to the brand-new Georgia Dome.
He couldn't wait to one day play a football game in that stadium.
Little did he know that by the time he'd finally get to play his first pro game in Atlanta, the Falcons would have moved to Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
"Man, I always dreamed of playing there but it never worked out," Butler said. "I got close twice in high school to playing in the (State) Final Four, but we lost twice. And never in my (pro) career did we play the Falcons on the road. So this will be my first game back in Atlanta since high school. I'm so excited."
And there's a chance Butler might even have an expanded role this week, depending on the health of Dez Bryant, who has been bothered by knee and ankle injuries.
"I want Dez to play and we need him," Butler said. "But if he doesn't play … I'm going to ball-out. I'm going to eat. I'm going from the sixth option to the first option. I'll be ready to answer the call."
And what a place for that to happen for Butler, whose dad, Bobby Butler, played 12 seasons in Atlanta at cornerback.
"I used to run around and wear my dad's jerseys to school," Butler recalled. "I had the white and the red, and then the black ones. I used to think it was really cool. I definitely grew up a huge Falcons fan because of my dad, of course."
Bobby Butler, whose career spanned from 1981 to 1992, crossed over four seasons with Deion Sanders.
"My pops saw a lot and he's really taught me a lot of things about the NFL," Butler said. "He taught me what to expect and how coaches are going to be and how organizations are going to be because it's a business. He taught me things like from that to a 401K. Once I started, he was talking about that and pensions and saving your money. When guys get cut, my dad always told me, one day you have a friend here and the next day he's gone. My dad prepared me for everything I need to know. If he didn't teach me that, I probably wouldn't be here."
Brice said he got a phone call this week from his dad, who was less than sympathetic about his son's dropped pass in Sunday's game with the Chiefs, regardless if the bright sun might've gotten in his eyes.
"He said it doesn't matter about the sun – catch the ball," Brice said. "He told me I have to make that play because I really don't get that many opportunities."
Whether or not those chances increase on Sunday, Brice Butler will definitely be ready for the moment. A moment he's been waiting on for over a decade.
