HOUSTON — Mohamed Sanu is generally an upbeat guy and the music he prefers reinforces that temperament. But on game day, the happy tunes are gone as the Falcons receiver prepares for battle.
“I got to listen to my playlist I have,’’ Sanu said Thursday, the final media session of the week for the players. “It’s called dark place. I have to get into a dark place when it’s time to play because I’m a happy guy all the time, but when it’s time to play, I get into a dark place.”
Whatever mood-altering music Sanu listens to has provided the desired effect. After four years filling a role with the Bengals as a complementary target to star A.J. Green, Sanu signed with the Falcons to start alongside star Julio Jones. In 15 games, Sanu had a career-high 59 receptions for 635 yards and four touchdowns, and was a vital cog in Atlanta’s prolific offense, which led the NFL in scoring.
The product of South Brunswick (N.J.) High School and Rutgers can be a difference-maker in Super Bowl LI and the Patriots surely will not sleep on him. Sanu will not sleep in on Sunday, as he abides by some time-tested rituals to get him ready to play.
“I get up early and get a nice shower,’’ Sanu said. “Make sure I put on my lucky underwear, my lucky MeUndies. I always make sure I go have my same meal that I have all the time. I have some scrambled eggs, some French toast, Gatorade — actually it’s usually apple juice or a Gatorade as well. I drink my Essentia water. That’s all I drink. Then I take my trip over to the stadium or wherever we’re playing.”
Like the vast majority of Falcons players, this is Sanu’s first Super Bowl experience and he admits the week has worn on him. The Falcons arrived last Sunday and to Sanu, it seems as if they haven’t stopped talking since landing.
“I didn’t know it was like this,’’ Sanu said. “I really thought it was like a one media day, I don’t know, but we wake up early to do media. It’s pretty cool, though. You get to meet all you guys and talk about a lot of different things so it’s pretty cool.”
Sanu and his teammates are underdogs in this game and have kept a fairly low profile. He expects the energy and intensity to perk up as the weekend nears.
“Just the moment,’’ he said. “It’s the moment I’ve been waiting for my entire life and for it to be here, for me to be able it enjoy it and embrace it, it’s a blessing.”
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
