A Dream Come True

There's going to be a moment, maybe during the national anthem, or maybe during the coin toss, when Pierson Prioleau is going to take a breath, look around Sun Life Stadium in Miami, and let it all soak in.

He won't be able to help himself.

After 11 seasons in the NFL with five different teams, Prioleau, a former Macedonia High School star, has finally arrived on the biggest stage in all of professional sports -- the Super Bowl.

Prioleau, a backup safety for the New Orleans Saints, said there were plenty of times over the last 11 seasons when he doubted he'd ever get a chance to play in a Super Bowl.

It's why he wants to take a minute tonight and just live in the moment.

"As a kid playing in your backyard, this is what you dreamed about. This is what all those hours of practice and offseason training have been for," Prioleau said.

"Everyone who has ever put on pads and played the game has dreamed about playing in the Super Bowl. It's been a long time coming for me. I've paid my dues, and now it's finally here and I'm going to enjoy it."

He's not sure how he'll feel or what emotions will wash over him, but he said he'll think about his family back in Alvin, his wife and two sons somewhere in the sea of humanity in Sun Life Stadium, and most of all, he'll think about all the people who have helped him along the way.

"I didn't do it by myself," Prioleau said. "I've had a tremendous support system throughout my life beginning with my family and all the coaches and players I've played with over the years. I wouldn't be here without them.

"You can't make it all the way to the Super Bowl without a lot of help and I've been blessed my whole life in that regard."

There were times last winter when Prioleau thought his NFL career might have come to an end. After a decade in the league, Prioleau, 31, was ancient by NFL standards. The kid who had only gotten one Division I scholarship offer coming out of high school had been used mainly as a special teams player during his last three seasons in the league.

"When you're that old, you think every year might be your last year," Prioleau said. "There are so many good, young players in the league now that you never know what's going to happen. I knew I still had a lot of football left in me, but you never know. I was going to keep after it until all 32 teams said no to me."

As it turned out, it didn't take long for Prioleau to find a suitor. Prioleau got a call from Gregg Williams, the newly hired Saints defensive coordinator, in March about the possibility of coming to New Orleans. Williams had come to the Saints after spending a year in Jacksonville. The two had worked closely together throughout Prioleau's career. They had been together in Buffalo, Washington and Jacksonville. When Williams found out the Jaguars were not going to offer the former Virginia Tech star a contract for the 2009 season, he jumped at the chance to be reunited with Prioleau.

"I definitely think there's a comfort level there between us," Prioleau said. "We trust each other. He knows what he's going to get out of me every practice, every game and every season. I know what he expects from his players."

It didn't long for Prioleau to realize that the Saints were a special bunch.

"You feel that the first time you step into the locker room. This is the closest team I've ever been around," Prioleau said. "Everyone gets along. We had a pretty tight team in Washington, but it wasn't like this. You don't have one or two guys or a group of guys that hang out together. We all hang out together. I think it's one of the reasons we've been successful this season."

If there's an undisputed leader on the Saints, it's quarterback Drew Brees.

"He's the grease that keeps this engine running," Prioleau said. "He's the first guy on the practice field in the morning and the last one to leave the film room at night. His dedication to the game and this team is unbelievable. He's the hardest working quarterback I've ever been around."

Playing in Buffalo, Prioleau played against New England quarterback Tom Brady and Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning many times. He puts Brees in that class.

"I think people get caught up in winning Super Bowls and all that, but to me, Drew Brees is just as good as Tom or Peyton," Prioleau said. "This is the first time I've been on a team with a quarterback of that caliber. You ask the guys that have played with him in San Diego and here in New Orleans, I think they'd tell you that Drew is on that level. He makes everyone around him better."

The Saints' defense has relied on turnovers all season. New Orleans forced 41 turnovers during the regular season and seven in two playoff games, including five in the NFC championship agianst Minnesota. The Saints eight defensive touchdowns were most in the league this season.

"We're not the kind of defense that's going to shut you down," Prioleau said. "We're going to bend and then we're going to go after the ball. That's what we've done all season, and we've been pretty successful doing it. We're going to have to force Peyton into some bad throws and then strip the ball when we can."

After playing against Manning almost a half-dozen times over his career, Prioleau knows stopping the future Hall of Famer is easier said than done.

"It's like playing chess against a chess master," Prioleau said. "If you take something away, he'll find another way to beat you. If you counter that, he'll make another move, so you've got to be able to think on your feet and take advantage when he makes a mistake because he doesn't make many of them."