Trice Lost for Season After Exhibition Opener Knee Injury

The former Husky standout was hurt in the first half of Atlanta's first preseason game.

Ex-Husky Bralen Trice is shown working out at the NFL combine in February. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Bralen Trice was made to be an NFL player, with former University of Washington edge-rusher coach Ikaika Malloe strongly suggesting as much before Trice had ever played a college down for the Huskies way back in 2021.

Unfortunately for the 6-foot-4, 274-pound defender, Trice diligently worked his way to football's highest level only to suffer a season-ending knee injury on Friday night in his first exhibition game for the Atlanta Falcons and was placed on the injured reserve list, the team announced.

A third-round draft pick, Trice had to be helped off the field with 26 seconds left in the first half of a 20-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Miami. His knee appeared to give out on a pass rush.

The injury was a serious blow to the Falcons, who were serious need of defensive help on the edges and felt the addition of Trice had solved some of those issues. Likewise, he was playing for his former Husky head coach, JImmy Lake, now the Falcons' defensive coordinator.

Trice stayed relatively healthy throughout his UW career, redshirting as a freshman, opting out during the 2020 COVID season and then appearing in all 40 games for the past three seasons in Montlake, starting 27 of his final 28 outings.

He was twice named the defensive player of the game against the Texas Longhorns in the 2022 Alamo Bowl in San Antonio and the most recent Sugar Bowl held in New Orleans this past January.

Now he'll have to delay his official NFL debut for another year as he has to reclaim his health.

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