Dwight Freeney knows a thing or two about education. Before he began his NFL career, which includes seven Pro Bowl appearances, three First-Team All-Pro nods, one AFC Defensive Player of the Year Award and (at least) one Super Bowl title, Freeney graduated Syracuse on the dean's list. Now in his 15th NFL season with his fourth team -- his first year with the Falcons -- Freeney is attempting win Super Bowl No. 2 at age 36.

And he has some important advice for kids:

"I think you can't hurt yourself before you get here," Freeney says. "You have to really make sure you study, that you stay out of trouble...Let's not defeat yourself before you even get on the field. You may be a great talent, but if you can't take care of the other things, it wouldn't even matter. I've seen so many guys in my career, in my life, be great football players, amazing football players, not here today and that's because of the off-the-field issues and problems they've had or their studies in school that they didn't apply themselves."

Sunday night's Super Bowl will be Freeney's third appearance in the NFL's final weekend. As a Colt, Freeney won Super Bowl XLI but lost Super Bowl XLIV.

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