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SPORTS Saturday 2 February 2019

FBI Special Agent John Cronier holds one of a half-dozen drones
which have been confiscated for being flown in the no-fly zone
over Mercedes-Benz Stadium Friday, Feb. 1, 2019, in Atlanta, just
days before Super Bowl 53.
Associated Press
In this Nov. 18, 2012 file photo, Baltimore Ravens free safety Ed Reed (20) runs after recovering a
A deluge of drones fumble by Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace during the first quarter of an NFL football
game in Pittsburgh.
fly over Super Bowl Strong field of DBs and OLs

stadium, despite ban for Hall of Fame election

By JEFF MARTIN added.
Associated Press In recent days, multiple he- ATLANTA (AP) — In the past play in a critical situation. got a little older, I got a little
ATLANTA (AP) — The sky licopters have been patrol- decade, four defensive He was a finisher. He was smarter and realized that I
above the stadium that will ling the air space above backs from the modern era a guy that when the lights shouldn't be doing all of this
host Sunday's Super Bowl the stadium and surround- have made the Pro Foot- were on, he was going to stuff. But it's football and I
is being "inundated" with ing area, often swooping ball Hall of Fame. make the play." miss the game."
an alarming number of below the tops of Atlanta's On Saturday, five of them DeCosta recalls a game Lynch was the bulwark of
drones, raising the specter downtown buildings as are up for consideration. against Washington: the Tampa 2 defense for
of injuries to tourists or oth- part of a massive security Cornerback Champ Bailey "I'll never forget that night the Buccaneers and then
ers — or a possible collision operation. and safety Ed Reed are in game when he blocked the Broncos, winning a Su-
with aircraft, the FBI said Fri- "A drone impact with a their first year of eligibility. the punt, recovered the per Bowl with Tampa Bay.
day. fixed-wing aircraft or a he- Cornerback Ty Law and fumble and basically, sin- Law also won rings, getting
That's despite an ongoing licopter would be cata- safeties John Lynch and glehandedly, won that three with New England,
restriction that bans the strophic," FBI Special Agent Steve Atwater each have game for us. He just had and had 53 interceptions.
use of drones in the area John Cronier said. been this route before and a flare for making the best Atwater, as fierce a hitter
of Mercedes-Benz Stadium Moreover, policing illegal fallen short. play of the game." as the safety position has
downtown. drones is pulling officers There are 26 defensive Reed's fellow newcomer to seen, won two Super Bowls
Officers on Thursday confis- away from other duties, backs in the Canton shrine, the process, Bailey, starred with the Broncos.
cated a half-dozen drones Rowson said. not a particularly high num- for the Redskins for five sea- There is a definite Denver
that were flown near the "It has taken up a lot of time ber; 26 quarterbacks are in sons, then for another 10 flavor to this year's class,
stadium, FBI spokesman for our agents and for law the hall, and only one of with Denver. A three-time with team owner Pat
Kevin Rowson said Friday at enforcement officers to them is on the field at a time All-Pro who also made the Bowlen on the ballot as a
the agency's Atlanta field be targeting these drones — OK, the Saints sometimes 2000s All-Decade squad, contributor. The other con-
office. The cases will be re- when they could be work- go with two. Most defenses he had 52 interceptions tributors' category nomi-
ferred to federal prosecu- ing on other security mea- have at least four DBs out and was a lockdown cor- nee is long-time Cowboys
tors for possible charges; sures," he said. there at a time, and more nerback for most of his and league executive
the drone pilots could face In December, hundreds of often these days there are career. Bailey also played Gil Brandt, and the senior
jail time and fines, Rowson flights were canceled and five or six. some offense and returned candidate is former Chiefs
said. more than 100,000 people So the relative shortage of punts. safety Johnny Robinson.
"If these drones go out of were stranded or delayed coverage guys and bone- "I just loved to play. That's They are considered sepa-
control — if a pilot loses after drones were spotted shattering tacklers from the why I did so much," he says. rately from the modern-era
control of one — they can near the runway at Gat- secondary could get ad- "I love to do it, it wasn't be- guys.
go into a crowd and cause wick Airport outside Lon- dressed this year. cause I was good at it. A Along with DB, the offen-
serious injuries," Rowson don. "Man, just a playmaker," lot of guys are good at it, sive line is loaded with
said. Last month, Southwest Air- Ravens general manager but they hate putting in the contenders, featuring cen-
The potential for terrorism is lines and United Airlines pi- Eric DeCosta says of Reed, work. That's what I love to ter Kevin Mawae, tackles
also a concern. lots encountered a drone who was a five-time All-Pro, do. Steve Hutchinson and Tony
"When we look up into the around 3,500 feet (1,000 won a Super Bowl for the "When I went to college, it Boselli, and guard Alan Fan-
air and see a drone flying in meters) above Teterboro, 2012 season, made the All- was the same thing. When eca. All have been finalists
the air, we have no idea if New Jersey. That resulted in Decade team of the 2000s, I got to NFL, I wanted to do before. Mawae, Faneca
it's friendly, or if it's someone dozens of delays at nearby and was the 2004 Defen- everything. I did as much and Hutchinson also made
who has nefarious plans Newark Liberty Internation- sive Player of the Year. as I could, as long as I the All-Decade team of
and it's weaponized," he al Airport.q "Ed just always had a great could, and as long as they the 2000s, Boselli was voted
knack for making a critical allowed me. Then once I to the 1990s squad.q