If DeAngelo Hall could travel back in time and impart some wisdom on his 21-year-old self, it would likely be to appreciate what he was about to experience.
Hall, then a wide-eyed rookie in 2004, was a starting cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons as they finished 11-5 and advanced to the NFC Championship before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles. At that moment, Hall did not quite grasp the gravity of the moment — how special it was to be on the cusp of reaching the Super Bowl, especially in his first season.
He took for granted the fact that he would not return to the playoffs until a long eight years later with the Washington Redskins in 2012.