Roddy White misses his buds, to be sure, but the all-time leading receiver in Falcons history is with his former teammates in spirit, and plans to attend the Super Bowl in Houston against the Patriots.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah; my plan is to get down there on Sunday and go to the game, hang out with the guys … ” White said before an autograph/photo opportunity Thursday evening at the Microsoft store at Buckhead’s Lenox Square.
“(The Super Bowl) is why we play football. I’ve been dreaming about that since I was a little kid, but I didn’t get my opportunity, so now I can live through those guys that I have really, really good relationship with and live the moment through them.”
White, 35, was released by the Falcons after last season following 11 years with the team. The former first-round draft choice out of UAB went to four Pro Bowls while playing for Atlanta, and holds franchise records for receptions (808), receiving yards (10,863) and receiving touchdowns (63).
Several hundred fans attended Thursday’s session, chanting, “Roddy, Roddy, Roddy,” as he entered the store and they waited in line to see him. Many wore his No. 84 Falcons jerseys.
DeAira Clark, 22, of Atlanta, was nearly speechless after her pose with White.
“Everything Falcons I own is Roddy White,” she said afterward. “He’s on the front of my car, on all my social media pages, everything is Roddy White. I love him.”
White still loves his former teammates, although he was not happy to be let go by the team after last season.
All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones is chasing many of his franchise receiving records, but Roddy’s OK with that. They’re friends, staying in touch.
“The only person I’ve talked to during the week is Julio. Texted him and talked to him,” White said. “Well, I talked to E. (Eric) Weems, too, and I’ll probably talk to (second-year wide receiver) Justin Hardy before the game, but I don’t want to bother those guys when they’re going through their preparation and getting ready for obviously the biggest game of their lives.
“You want make sure everybody’s focused and doing their jobs, not taking the moment too far, just treating like another game that they’ve got to go out there and execute and win.”
White’s still connected with many former teammates, and he’s a fan. He misses being a Falcon, and not just because they’re going to the Super Bowl.
“I miss those guys anyway, just everything; being in the locker room and hanging around those guys and it being a family atmosphere,” he said. “You miss all that stuff when you’re not doing it anymore.
“Being at that point in the Super Bowl is a tremendous accomplishment for those guys, and all the hard work they’ve done this whole year and getting their team ready to play. Congratulations to them; they’ve done a heck of a job.”
If he had his way, White would still be playing. To play in the NFL for 11 years, achieve considerable individual success, but not play in the biggest game in the sport hurts.
“Any time you’ve given everything you’ve got to an organization, especially, you know, for 11 years and you don’t get an opportunity to play in that game, it’s kind of a bummer,” White explained. “It’s not like I feel disappointed because I gave everything I had for the time I was there, but would I love be playing in this moment and have an opportunity to win a Super Bowl? Heck yeah.”
It’s not like White’s sitting on his hands.
With three boys and two daughters, ranging from ages 5 to 11, he’s engaged aplenty.
“I’m a full-time Dad,” he reported. “My kids are a lot into sports and they love the Falcons. Right now, it’s basketball season and volleyball season for the girls, and that’s what I do most of my time.
“I missed out on a lot with my kids when I was playing football … So this is the first year I’ve had time to sit back and just be a father. Yeah, pulling up to the car pool lane … 2:45, baby!”
Depending on the way things break, White could get into coaching, but not at a high level. That might blow up Daddy time.
“I’ve thought about volunteering,” he suggested. “I think I’m going to get into it next year, and put in an application somewhere and see if I can help somebody’s high school team out, but other than that, I don’t want to coach at the college level or the pro level.
“It just takes too much time and energy to do, and I just don’t have that much time. I’d rather spend time with my family.”
Hundreds of Falcons/White fans were happy to see him Thursday.
“You know it,” said Lakeisha Caines, 33, of Atlanta. “I love me some Roddy White.”
Roddy will be a fan of the Falcons on Sunday in Houston.
“I want them to win so I can celebrate with them,” he said. “That’s the plan, you know?”
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