Professional athlete, family man, Hollywood writer, record label owner, musician…
For an NFL player with as many outside interests as **Trevor Pryce**, one rushing to a snap judgment may call his commitment or focus into question. However, anyone taking more than a cursory glance into his many ventures would find the complete opposite to be true.
Pryce's ability to juggle so many different passions in his life has amounted to one similar result: success.
"I do believe that the more diversity you have in your life, the better you can focus on what is at hand," said Pryce. "When I'm playing with my kids, that's what I do. When I come into this building [Ravens' training complex], football is what I do fully; if I'm working on a screenplay, the same thing. That's my focus at the time."
Wearing so many professional hats – helmet including – offers the 13-year NFL veteran plenty of welcome challenges.
"You can only focus on the things in front of you and around you," Pryce said. "If your mind wanders, then you're cheating what is the task at hand."
Writing a feature-length screenplay is not an easy task. Scripts are typically around 100 pages and require endless rewrites. Pryce has written two.
Still not impressed? He sold them both – along with two additional television scripts. Essentially what this means is that his writing and ideas were at such a high level, they were purchased with the thought of producing them on screen.
Making legitimate waves in Hollywood is very hard to do – perhaps as hard as succeeding in the music industry. Not for Pryce.
He owns a record label with a stable of recording artists. Pryce's bands have reached the airwaves and have been praised by national outlets such as VH1. Pryce himself has been etched in vinyl having been recorded playing everything from guitar, to drums, to piano.
Oh yes…and then there's the business of earning two Super Bowl rings and four Pro Bowl berths with the Denver Broncos.
Currently, Pryce continues to be a stalwart on the Ravens' defensive line, causing havoc wherever he may be lined up. Earlier this week, head coach **John Harbaugh** reflected on Pryce's ability to take on many roles.
"It's rare. Trevor's got a lot of versatility as a player," said Harbaugh. "He can line up over an offensive guard. He can line up with a tackle. He can line up over tight end and be equally effective in the run and the pass."
Fortunately for the Ravens, Pryce is very much consumed with everything Patriots.
And in the defensive lineman's crosshairs this week is All-World quarterback Tom Brady of the New England Patriots.
"He (Brady) can do things that boggle the mind – kind of like Peyton Manning," Pryce said. "How does your muscle memory work that you can throw that kind of ball consistently? That's what makes him a great quarterback – in the history of the NFL – period."
The Patriots drafted Brady the same year Belichick was hired as head coach. Since then, Brady has led the Patriots to three Super Bowl titles. He is 14-3 in postseason play. Without Brady in the starting lineup, the Patriots are a .500 team.
But to Pryce, this is not a numbers game. The key to Sunday's game might just be one of proximity.
"You're not going to sack him because he's going to get rid of the ball," Pryce said. "But you have to at least do your best to kind of get in his face – make some of his throws off target. But if you don't do that, you don't stand a chance."
If it seems Pryce is conceding victory to the imposing New England offense, think again. In actuality, Pryce can't wait step on the field this weekend to help bring the Ravens to 4-0. Pryce's most recent memory of Gillette Stadium was two seasons ago, when he was unable to play against the undefeated Patriots due to injury.
"I remember being in a sling on the sideline," Pryce said this week. "I remember crying my eyes out that I couldn't play. I remember the timeout, and I remember wishing I was playing."
It won't take a wish to get Pryce onto the field this Sunday. It may actually take half the crowd to keep him off it.
With the second-ranked scoring offense in the NFL and a defense as hungry ever, the high-flying Ravens are ready to take it to the Patriots. Pryce is certainly ready to go.
When asked how he learned to hone his drive and passion for all his endeavors, Pryce was all too quick to answer.
"Without a doubt it's my father [Trevor Pryce I]," Pryce said. "He's the most focused person I know. He's very good at it. I saw it at a very early age. I've seen it when times aren't so good and when things are going well. Whatever he's handling, that gets his full attention, and that included me sometimes."
For now, the focus for #90 is to be a great father and to help the Ravens reach their full potential week-by-week.
Anything beyond that will no doubt be met with Pryce's full and absolute attention.
