This third‑round pick lost two seasons due to serious injuries, only to be cut by his NFL team when he finally became healthy

Atlanta Falcons have reportedly cut their third-round linebacker Bralen Trice two years following his injury. Bralen Trice did not appear once for the team after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the first preseason game of 2024. The athlete joined the team healthy this season, but it appears the team had other plans.

According to the Daily Mail, Bralen Trice, who was a productive pass rusher at the University of Washington, was drafted by the Falcons at the 74th overall pick in 2024. However, he tore his ACL in the first preseason game with the Falcons against the Miami Dolphins, who also fired GM Chris Grier. As a result, he missed the entire season with the ACL injury, and with the arrival of the 2025 season, he suffered the same injury, missing the season again. 

After returning from injury, Bralen joined the training camp for the 2026 season, but despite the Falcons losing their pass rushers James Pearce Jr. to an eight-game ban and Jalon Walker with a season-ending knee injury, Head Coach Kevin Stefanski has opted to not proceed with Bralen as their option this season.

Coach Stefanski also praised Bralen

Coach Stefanski had some praise for the pass rusher before cutting him from the team. Coach Stefanski, in his statement earlier this preseason, said,  “Bralen’s done a nice job. Looks healthy. Very disruptive, powerful player. Just continuing to bring him along and find his fit as well on the defense.”

Bralen, talking about his injury to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, stated, “I don’t see it as hard, man. It’s just been a lot of work, but I feel like I’ve grown through it all. I’ve become a better player, and I’ve become a better person. On and off the field, there’s been a lot of different things to juggle, but it’s been fun. I’ve enjoyed the work in the process, and now I’m out here feeling great.”

Before entering the NFL and falling to an injury, Trice was a productive prospect at the University of Washington. His stats made him stand out in the 2024 draft. In 2021, he played in all of the matches, with 2 starts to his name. The athlete recorded 14 tackles and two sacks, along with a great 72-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Arkansas State. The following year, he became the bona fide starter, making 12 starts in 13 games and recording 38 tackles, a career-high 12 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks.

Despite having a noteworthy performance at the college level, it appears that Bralen’s injury has halted his NFL career. The athlete hasn’t publicly shared his decision about what’s next in his football journey.