# Brian Banks (exonerated felon) cut by Atlanta Falcons

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-banks-exonerated-felon-cut-by-atlanta-falcons/667678>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [August 31, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-banks-exonerated-felon-cut-by-atlanta-falcons/667678 "2013-08-31T18:38:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-banks-exonerated-felon-cut-by-atlanta-falcons/667678/1 "2013-08-31T18:38:48Z")

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This was the guy that got accused of rape in high school. Spent 5 years in prison and then on parole. The girl admitted she made it up and he was exonerated.

He was good in high school and had a scholarship lined up before the charges. But this just confirms you can’t shake off ten years of rust and jump into the NFL.

It’s a shame that he didn’t focus on making a college team. Even as a walk on. College coaches could have spent more time with him. But he’s screwed up any chance of that now by signing in the NFL.

> **[Brian Banks, who served five years in prison for crime he didn’t commit,...](https://www.nydailynews.com/2013/08/30/brian-banks-who-served-five-years-in-prison-for-crime-he-didnt-commit-waived-by-atlanta-falcons/)**
>
> ATLANTA – The Atlanta Falcons waived Brian Banks, the linebacker who was attempting to make a late start to his NFL career after spending five years in prison on a conviction that was later o…

> **[Brian Banks' summer feel-good story ends with release from Falcons](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/falcons/2013/08/30/brian-banks-released-wrongful-rape-conviction/2749267/)**
>
> Linebacker forced to take long road to pros after wrongful rape conviction landed him in jail.

> **[NFL News, Expert Analysis, Rumors, Live Updates, & more](https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news/)**
>
> Sports News, Scores, Fantasy Games

> [@](#):
>
> “Brian is a guy that has not played football in 10 years,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said after Thursday night’s game. “He has really matured and progressed as a football player since we’ve had him on our roster.”
> 
> Banks signed with the Falcons in March. He said Thursday he faced a different challenge than most players competing for roster spots as he tried to make up for his lost decade.
> 
> \<snip\>  
> Banks had tryouts with Kansas City, San Diego and San Francisco and attended minicamp with Seattle last year before spending the 2012 season with Las Vegas of the United Football League.