Recent California Innocence Project exoneree Brian Banks’ dream of playing in the NFL continues in Seattle. After impressing the Seahawks coaches at a workout last week, head coach Pete Carroll has invited Banks to attend a mini-camp this week on a tryout basis.
Banks had accepted a scholarship to Carroll’s former team at the University of Southern California before being wrongfully convicted of rape in 2002.
“This is a great illustration for us of why people deserve a second chance and because of what he’s overcome, and because of what lies ahead for him in his life, this is just one step but it is a step that he’s been dreaming about for a long time,” Carroll said last week. “It’s just such a great illustration about not giving up and about competing for what you want and not letting the circumstances or your surroundings dictate what’s going to happen in your life.”
Banks returned to the Seahawks camp today after a workout with the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this week. “I’m honored to have all of these people, all of these coaches from different teams, give me this opportunity with not seeing me play in so long,” he said.
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