As Torell Troup finished his day of work, he walked across the field and met a famous football player, Randy Moss.

Troup had been a fan of Moss, watching him every Sunday while growing up in his home inRockdaleCounty. Now, the Salem High graduate competes against the likes of the retired wide receiver every Sunday during his day job as an NFL player with the Buffalo Bills.

Not only does he get to play against those he grew up supporting, but he himself has become one of those players looked up to.

On his way home during the Bills bye-week, Troupe was stopped several times on his way to the terminal inBuffalo’s airport by adoring fans.

“I couldn’t walk more than five feet without somebody stopping me,” Troupe said. “Diehard Bills fans, they know who you are.”

Who Troupe is, is a second-year starter on what was one of the biggest surprises in the NFL this season.Buffalostarted the season with three straight wins, and opened up 4-1 after defeatingPhiladelphia31-24 on Oct. 9.

The 6-foot-3 former University of Central Florida Knight, who had two tackles against Cincinati was slated to start at nose tackle this season before getting injured.

After visiting his old high school during the Salem Seminoles’ Oct. 21 matchup with Winder-Barrow, Troup returned to the lineup for Buffalo and had one tackle against New Jersey, three against the Cowboys and two against Miami last weekend.

The games were all losses for the recently slumping Bills, but that hasn’t stopped Troup from enjoying his second season as a pro. The enjoyment, however, has also come with hard work.

“It’s another talent level, so you have to prepare a lot better,” Troup said. “Everybody’s good, so you have to be on the field competing every day.”

Troup wakes up at 6:45 a.m. to head to the Bills practice facility, where he stays until 5:30 p.m. Once done with a day full of training, practicing and studying film, there’s not much energy left afterwards.

“You want to unwind and then you’ve got to get ready to go to bed, because you have to do it all again the next day,” Troup said. “In college you want to hang out with your friends after class. You get more free time (in the NFL), but you have to be smarter with your free time.”

The preparations have worked out for Troup, who now has 31 tackles in 21 games as a professional after being selected in the second round in 2010’s NFL Draft.

Buffalo has started to slide in its last couple of games, and will travel to New York to face the Jets this Sunday. But Troup feels this season, like his NFL career thus far will continue to be positive.

“Buffalo fans support us even when were losing, so now to be able to win for them that is much more special,” Troup said. “They’re just great fans.”