Who says you can’t go home? State champion, national champion and five-year NFL veteran Ryan Anderson visited his old stomping grounds and talked with Mrs. Nelson’s Pre-K class at Daphne East Elementary School on Friday, Dec. 6.

The former Daphne Trojan and Alabama Crimson Tide football player reminisced about his time at Daphne East Elementary where he developed his love for the game of football. Anderson also talked about the life lessons he learned through football including dedication and teamwork.

A key piece of Daphne’s 2010 Class 6A state championship team, Anderson went on to win a College Football Playoff national championship with Alabama in 2015.

The linebacker totaled 128 tackles, including 41 for loss, with 19.5 sacks, a 26-yard pick-six, 6 forced fumbles and 6 fumble recoveries in his collegiate career. In the pros, Anderson spent four seasons with Washington and one with Pittsburgh and amassed 87 total tackles, including 8 for loss, with 6 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries.