Falcons EXCLUSIVE: 'No. 20 Belongs Here' - Dee Alford Eyes Breakout Year
Sept. 11, 2022.
Atlanta Falcons corner Dee Alford trots onto the field, slot right, and gets to the line of scrimmage. It was the third defensive play of the season for the Falcons, but the first of Alford's NFL career.
Across from Alford stood New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas, a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, previously one of the game's top wideouts looking to return to form after multiple injury-plagued seasons.
When Thomas won Offensive Player of the Year in 2019, Alford was still in school at Tusculum, pondering the next step in his football journey.
But in this moment, they're equals.
Thomas stems inside, jabs right, then left, then back to his right before finally turning up field. All the while, Alford's right with him, mirroring each move and forcing a low percentage throw in the opposite direction that fell incomplete, getting the Falcons defense a three-and-out to kick off the new year.
At the time, it was merely the first such play for the unit and far from anything to write home about ... except for Alford. Looking back, that rep proved to be the final piece of evidence the 25-year-old needed to see he was built for the NFL, capping off a stellar few months that saw him rise from little-known defensive back to Atlanta's 53-man roster.
"Once I was able to get my hands on (Thomas) and stop him from running a route, I felt I belonged,” Alford told SI's Falcon Report in an exclusive interview.
To be clear, Alford was always confident and driven; he had to be in order to overcome the odds of making the transition from the CFL to the NFL, let alone from Division II to Canada.
But here, he found that he was truly built for the sport's highest level - and continued to prove it time and again over the coming weeks.
Perhaps the highlight of Alford's season came just three weeks later when the Falcons hosted the Cleveland Browns, searching for their second-consecutive victory and a chance to get back to .500 on the year.
A late field goal by kicker Younghoe Koo gave Atlanta a narrow 23-20 lead, but Cleveland received the ball with 2:28 to go and had scored on two of its previous three possessions.
After marching into Falcons territory, the Browns were set back following a sack from Grady Jarrett. With just over a minute to go, Cleveland faced a 3rd and 23 a few yards shy of midfield.
Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett dropped back, slid left and fired for receiver David Bell - but Alford, who allowed a few receptions earlier in the game, wasn't going to let that happen. Not in that moment with all he'd done to get there.
Alford leaped, hung and snatched Brissett's pass. Ballgame. Falcons 23, Browns 20. Teammates mobbed Alford in the endzone as Mercedes-Benz Stadium erupted.
The local kid from Griffin, Ga., just made one of the biggest plays of the early portion of Atlanta's season ... and better yet, had full faith he was going to do exactly that, fueled with belief that he belonged on the field in that moment.
“I got caught on that game and told (then-defensive coordinator Dean) Pees I was going to make a play for us," Alford said. "We always said it's not about how you start, it's about how you finish. I knew that play was coming, I knew that route was coming. I was able to capitalize.”
And in a sense, perhaps nothing summarizes Alford's first year in Atlanta better than that - an opportunity fully capitalized, even when external doubts exist.
The shoe may fit ... but the style doesn't.
No, we're not talking about Alford's fashion - instead, it's the notion of his rise to Atlanta being a "Cinderella story," which doesn't necessarily do justice to the legitimacy of his journey.
Whether it's UMBC becoming the first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament or the United States men's hockey team taking down the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics, Cinderella stories are a part of sports - but Alford would prefer not to be commonly associated with it.
“I see a lot of guys tweeting about me being a Cinderella story, and that’s a compliment and all, but I don’t want to be a Cinderella story," Alford said. "I just want to show everyone I’m not a Cinderella story."
Of course, as Alford said, it's far from a bad thing to be a Cinderella story ... but there's much more to his career arc than simply rising from the ashes.
Instead, the story should be how Alford was an All-Region player in both high school and college, earned CFL All-Star and Winnipeg Rookie of the Year honors, and simply continued shining after signing with the Falcons in Jan. 2022.
So, Cinderella? The beauty of that idea is in the eye of the beholder ... but in Alford's eyes, his work - and track record - speaks for itself.
"No. 20 belongs here," Alford said, referencing his jersey number, which is new after donning No. 37 last season. "I’m not a talker. I’m a hard worker, I keep my head down, I do my job – I'm one of those guys."
This feeling is reciprocated inside Atlanta's buildings; Falcons coach Arthur Smith recently dubbed Alford "tougher than hell," adding that "all he does is just work - and he works and he works and he works, and he gets better every day."
Elsewhere, Alford was singled out by new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen for his work earlier this summer, making a strong first impression on the first-time play caller.
It's merely the continuation of a mission Alford set out to accomplish long ago - proving that he's worthy of respect across the league and isn't just another Cinderella story.
“I want to show the whole NFL that I belong, and that’s what I’m going to do," Alford said. "It’s already written.”
New year, new number, new play-caller, same mission.
This time a year ago, Alford was perceived to be facing an uphill battle to make Atlanta's final roster, even after an impressive spring.
But in the weeks that followed, Alford left no doubt that he belonged, starring in training camp and the preseason en route to a roster spot and the opportunity to battle Thomas and seal the victory over Cleveland.
Now, Alford's facing a different battle - the right to start at nickel corner. With last year's starter Isaiah Oliver off to the San Francisco 49ers, Alford is in a competition with free agent signee Mike Hughes and fourth-round draftee Clark Phillips III for first-team snaps in the slot.
During OTAs and minicamp, Alford was often the leader of the group and appears poised to enter his second professional training camp as the favorite to win the job.
But don't get it twisted - he's approaching this preseason with the same fire as a year ago.
“I really have the same mentality," Alford said. "I had a chip on my shoulder trying to make the 53-man roster. There’s been a lot of talk about Mike Hughes and Clark Phillips, (but) I have the same mentality."
Alford added that he's more confident this time around, both mentally and physically, as he was in the facilities working with Atlanta's strength and conditioning staff on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the offseason, gaining five to six pounds of muscle in the process; he's up to 181 pounds heading into camp.
Further, Alford is fond of Nielsen's defense and is growing more comfortable with the concepts by the day, which could prove vital in the coming weeks.
That being said, Alford's primary goal is simply to stay healthy during training camp, ensuring that he controls his own fate with on-field performance. Throughout last season, he battled through injury troubles, notably a hamstring issue that forced him to miss Atlanta's Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
As such, there's particular focus on avoiding such problems this season ... and Alford feels as if his body is in a better spot now than a year ago.
“Physically, I feel like I’m in the best shape," Alford said. "Just being able to look bigger, it builds my comfort. I want to play big. Being in that nickel position, you’ve got to know how to tackle.”
Alford's mentality - and the ability to execute it - is part of what endeared him to the Falcons coaching staff last year, and a key reason as to why Nielsen has quickly grown fond of his new nickel.
The affection is reciprocated by Alford, who made sure to mention that he thinks the world of Pees, 73, but feels that Nielsen, 44, can relate more and be more active with the defense due to the age gap.
Schematically, Alford "loves" what Nielsen has brought to Atlanta ... and is just as excited for what he's provided inside the building.
“Coach Nielsen is very intense," said Alford. "You just walk in the meeting room, and you feel the energy - it’s contagious. He fits the whole room and makes you want to grow and get better, (and) it translates to the field.”
As for the room that Alford mentioned, there's significant optimism both inside and outside the building surrounding the group's potential.
All-Pro corner A.J. Terrell is back for Year 4, while former No. 3 overall pick Jeff Okudah seeks to prove why he was highly touted out of Ohio State after being acquired in a trade from the Detroit Lions this offseason.
In addition to Alford, the Falcons have Phillips, who was the Pac-12's Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, and Hughes, a first-round pick in 2018 who's played roughly half of the defensive snaps in each of his first five seasons.
On the back end, Atlanta made Jessie Bates III the fourth-highest paid safety in the NFL during free agency and has Richie Grant next to him, fresh off a breakout second campaign.
In essence, competition is as high as it's been - and Alford, eager to prove he belongs, is embracing the challenge.
“I think this is one of the best defensive back rooms in the NFL," Alford said. "We have a lot of guys who can be a No. 1 guy. It makes you want to be better, make the plays, be on the field with a lot of great names. It means a lot - it’s a lot of talent from CB to nickel to both of the safeties.
"It’s just a great room."
Even with a talented group poised to flourish, the loss of Oliver carries significant weight; Alford praised his presence as a teammate and person while noting that he learned more from Oliver than the coaches in some aspects.
But beyond that, Oliver was a close friend to Alford; the two worked out together and still talk today, and when the former signed with San Francisco, he made sure to reach out to the latter shortly thereafter.
"He told me my time was coming and passed me the game, gave me a lot of knowledge,” Alford said.
Now, it truly is Alford's time - and he has his sights set on keeping it that way for the foreseeable future.
"I want to retire an Atlanta Falcon."
Alford wants to stress that he's focused on the present and winning the starting nickel job over the next few weeks -but he's also long been outspoken about his love for Atlanta, culminating in his declaration that he'd like to spend the rest of his career with the Dirty Birds.
Simply put, Alford, who grew up 35 minutes away from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, always wanted to be a Falcon; when he was a kid, he played quarterback, and tried to emulate Michael Vick.
He comes from a family of Falcons fans, many of whom now come to his games, which wasn't the case when he was in Canada; it's partially why he was adamant about signing with Atlanta despite having roughly 20 teams interested in his services after his lone season in the CFL.
"I wanted to come home," Alford said. "Although I had different types of teams calling, I wanted the Atlanta Falcons to be my home."
And so, Alford shut down his free agency process in Jan. 2022 after his workout with the Falcons and remains committed to the organization today. After all, he's living out a lifelong dream.
“It means a lot to put on the black, red and white," said Alford.
This is part of what's helped make Alford such a well-supported presence on Atlanta's roster; it's more than just his competitive fire or rise from the CFL, it's his sheer love for the city and ever-willing nature to give back when the opportunity presents itself.
Earlier this year, Alford returned to Griffin following tornado damage and made a financial donation while also providing water and Gatorade to victims. In a time of need, he showed up, proving to be a stellar representative for the Falcons.
And if Alford has it his way, there will be many more to come - as he said, he wants to retire in Atlanta ... and is determined to make it happen.
"Those are the goals I want to chase," Alford said. "I never want to be complacent.”
In the end, there are no certainties in the NFL.
But more often than not, those who succeed are often simply too driven and too competitive to not make it at the sport's highest level.
And while Alford has already checked that box, his attention is elsewhere - turning his name into one recognized around the league and beyond, as his story deserves.
“Before you know it," Alford began, "everybody’s going to know Dee Alford.”
Still, Alford's eyes are on a bigger prize - one bigger than himself: bringing the Lombardi Trophy to Atlanta for the first time.
It starts with a strong defensive unit, where Alford believes the Falcons will be one of the league's best, headlined by having "the right group of guys in the locker room" and plenty of fresh energy from Nielsen.
On the other side of the ball stands a talented offense with an exciting young core poised to be physical with a hint of explosiveness, starting with an offensive line that returns four of five starters from a year ago.
As such, there are plenty of believers when it comes to the Falcons' chances this fall - but perhaps none are as confident and optimistic as those inside the building.
“Everybody’s mindset is Super Bowl," Alford said. "We’ve got a great group of guys, and this 2023 season will be one to remember. This is going to be one of the best Falcons teams in a long time and we’re ready to show it.”
Motivated by his own pursuit of greatness and the chance to be a part of something special, Alford is armed with the mentality and skill set to enjoy a breakout season in front of those closest to him.
But most importantly, prove that this "Cinderella" is no more - Alford belongs, and he plans on showing the rest of the league exactly that this fall.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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