Ohio State football has added a former Buckeye to coach Ryan Day’s staff

 

Former Ohio State safety Nate Ebner has joined the Buckeyes' football staff as a quality control coach.Getty Images

 

Published: Mar. 19, 2025, 2:48 p.m.

By Stefan Krajisnik, cleveland.com

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football has added Nate Ebner to coach Ryan Day’s staff.

The former Buckeye is serving as a special teams quality control coach and was coaching on the field during Monday’s spring practice.

“He brings credibility,” Day said. “That’s a guy who was self-made and turned out to have a great career in the NFL. (He) was a big part of special teams. He can have an impact on the safety room. He can have an impact on special teams.”

Ebner was a walk-on defensive back for Ohio State, though most of his work came on special teams.

He developed into a professional player, going in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Ebner was selected by the Patriots where he spent eight seasons (2012-19) and won three Super Bowl titles. He spent his final two seasons in the NFL playing for the Giants.

During his time with New England, Ebner overlapped with defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. The two are united now as Day hired Patricia in February to served as the Buckeyes' defensive coordinator.

Ebner is a native of Dublin, Ohio, who attended Hilliard Davidson High School. He did not play football in high school and pursued international rugby before joining the Buckeyes.

 

Five hidden Ohio State football NFL Draft gems since 2000

 

The Ohio State football team has had plenty of top-tier talent head to the NFL over the years. They've also had quite a few hidden gems. Here are some of the best.

By Ryan Stano | Apr 13, 2024

The Ohio State football program is judged on how many players they produce in the NFL year after year. Most of the players that are drafted are done so with high picks. There have been plenty of Buckeyes who have been really good players after being first-round picks.

Then there are some Buckeyes who weren't drafted as highly but have still been good players. Those hidden gems are guys that GMs love because they didn't have to use a lot of draft capital to get them. These guys just show up and do their job at a high level.

Since 2000, there have been five hidden gems that I want to highlight who were former Ohio State football players. None of these players were first-round picks but all of them had long and successful NFL careers. They were still really good players.

The first player had the longest career of anyone on this list.

5. Mike Nugent, K

Mike Nugent was about as automatic as it gets from a kicker standpoint. When he was with the Ohio State football team, it seemed like he was going to make every single kick. He was a member of Ohio State's 2002 national championship team that took down Miami.

Nugent was a very high draft pick for a kicker, being taken in the second round by the New York Jets in the 2005 NFL Draft. He was the highest kicker drafted in that year. He deserved it too. Nugent was a weapon for a long time in the NFL after that for multiple teams.

Nugent played for ten different teams in his NFL career that spanned 16 seasons. He played his last season for the Arizona Cardinals in 2020. It's rare to have an NFL career go that long, even for kickers. But that's a testament to how good Nugent was at his craft.

As far as hidden gems go, this is a good one. To have a 16-year NFL after being a second-round pick I'd say is pretty darn good. Nugent got to play in a lot of different cities and made a lot of money from different franchises. That's a pretty good living.

The next player on this list was a sixth-round pick but won multiple titles.

 

4. Nate Ebner

Nate Ebner hardly played for the Ohio State football team. He only played for two seasons with them because he was a rugby player. Yet, his speed is what attracted him to Urban Meyer once he walked on. He could run a 4.48 40-yard dash so that made him an extremely valuable gunner.

Ebner never really played as a cornerback, although he did record a sack for the Buckeyes. He was a sixth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He was one of the prototypical draft picks by Bill Belichick, who was always looking for certain traits.

While Ebner never really got to play on defense, he was an excellent special teams player for the Patriots. In fact, he was named Second-team All-Pro in 2016 as a special teams player. He was at the peak of his position as a specialist and made a good living that way.

Ebner won three Super Bowls with New England in his career, by far the most championships of anyone on this list. Quite frankly, he just contributed to winning football. That's what he did during his entire career, most of which was spent in New England.

Ebner finished his career with the New York Giants and finished playing in 2021. He ended up having a ten-year NFL career, all as a special teams player. That's a nice hidden gem if you ask me. The next player on this list is still playing at a solid level on defense.

 

3. Johnathan Hankins

The only defensive player on this list who actually started on defense, Johnathan Hankins has had a productive NFL career. He was a second-round draft pick back in the 2013 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He spent the first four years of his career in New York.

Hankins is still playing at the age of 32 and just got signed by the Seattle Seahawks. He has played for five different NFL franchises so far. He has been able to add value everywhere he's been because of the space he's able to eat up in the middle as a nose tackle.

So far, he's played in 11 NFL seasons and this year will be his 12th. He doesn't show any signs of slowing down either. Hankins can still fill up the middle and make it tough for teams to run up the gut and he can still push the pocket around on quarterbacks too.

Hankins has made a lot of money in his career. As a second-round pick, it's impressive to see him still out there and being productive. He's one of those guys who just does everything right when he's on the team and is a veteran presence in the locker room.

The next player on this list was actually the highest-paid player at his position at one point after signing a massive contract extension.

 

2. Corey Linsley

As a fifth-round pick, Corey Linsley has had an excellent career. He was taken in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers and was the starting center for Aaron Rodgers and did quite well. It's impressive to be a starter as a fifth-round pick, especially for such an accomplished quarterback.

Linsley was named First-team All-Pro in 2020 in his final season playing for the Packers. He was also named to the Pro Bowl in 2021, as well as a Second-team All-Pro player. That was when he was signed by the Chargers in a contract that made him the highest-paid center in the league.

He signed a five-year $62.5 million contract to play for Los Angeles, something Green Bay was not willing to match. Linsley actually just agreed to restructure his contract a few weeks ago to give the Chargers a little more flexibility in free agency this season.

Linsley is still at the top of his game at 32 years of age. He's a very good player and will be for at least another three or four seasons. He can be relied on in both the run game and the pass game. Not only that, but he's an excellent leader for the rest of the offensive line.

Linsley is one of the best hidden gems since 2000 for the Ohio State football program. He's a solid player and a really good person. That's the best you can hope for from a fifth-round pick. The final person on this list was actually a third-round pick

 

1. Terry McLaurin

Terry McLaurin was even a hidden gem when he was a member of the Ohio State football team. He was just a three-star recruit coming out of Cathedral High School in Indianapolis. He turned himself into a really good receiver and a great special teams player for the Buckeyes.

McLaurin was a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders. He has turned himself into the number one receiver on that team and has done a lot with horrible quarterback play over the course of his four full years in Washington.

McLaurin was named to the Pro Bowl in 2022 and could have more on his resume if he had some better QB play. He has had over 1,000 receiving yards in every season except for his rookie one. The best quarterback he's played with might have been Sam Howell, who is no longer there.

Washington is expected to draft a quarterback with the number-two pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Perhaps that can finally be the answer to that position. Whoever it is will probably be the best quarterback McLaurin has played with. He should only get better in his career now.

To be the best receiver on a team after being a third-round pick is a really nice achievement. As I mentioned, he should continue to get better. He's 28 years old so he's in the prime of his career. He's as good of a hidden gem as it gets.

 

International Rugby Players Within the NFL

 

Damond Talbot

January 30, 2024

The sports world buzzed with excitement at the news of Louis Rees-Zammit, the Welsh rugby phenomenon, making the audacious switch to the NFL. This transition shines a spotlight on the intriguing journey from rugby to football, a path less traveled, but rich with success stories. As Rees-Zammit prepares to don the pads and helmet, we delve into the legacy of rugby players who have carved out careers in the NFL, setting the stage for this latest crossover.

Notable Rugby-to-NFL Success Stories

Christian Scotland-Williamson

A former rugby union player who played for Worcester Warriors in England, Scotland-Williamson switched to football, joining the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018 as a tight end through the International Player Pathway Program. He’s an English talent that will be sorely missed in England’s match against Scotlandin the upcoming Six Nations tournament.

 

Nate Ebner

Formerly an Olympic rugby sevens player for the United States, Ebner made his mark with the New England Patriots, showcasing his special teams prowess and contributing to multiple Super Bowl victories. Ebner’s successful transition is a testament to the complementary skills between all codes of rugby and NFL play.

Christian Wade

The English rugby union standout made headlines with his switch to the Buffalo Bills. Despite facing steep learning curves, Wade’s explosive speed and agility have made him a player to watch, demonstrating the potential for rugby talents in the NFL.

Jarryd Hayne

The Australian rugby league star’s stint with the San Francisco 49ers was met with great anticipation. Hayne’s versatility and athleticism allowed him to make an impact, albeit in a brief NFL career, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of such a transition.

Alex Gray

A former England rugby union sevens player and captain, Gray transitioned to American football, signing with the Atlanta Falcons in 2017 as a tight end through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. He spent multiple seasons on the Falcons’ practice squad.

Conclusion

Louis Rees-Zammit’s move to the NFL is more than just a career change; it’s a continuation of the intriguing narrative of rugby players making their mark in football. As he joins the ranks of those who have ventured before him, Rees-Zammit carries the torch for the next generation of athletes looking to make a similar leap. His journey underscores the growing interconnectedness of global sports, promising exciting developments for fans and future players alike.

 

Nate Ebner relived this important play from 2013 season

 

Danny Jaillet

Thu, May 4, 2023, 10:40 AM EDT·1 min read

Former New England Patriots special teams standout Nate Ebner was a key part of the organization. He played from 2012-2019 with New England, before finishing his career with the New York Giants in the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Ebner made a bunch of key plays as a valuable member of the special teams unit. However, there is one play in particular that was notable. Ebner went on “The Boom Cast” Podcast earlier this week, and the hosts helped him relive a crucial play.

It happened when the Patriots took on the Denver Broncos in 2013. New England trailed 24-0 in the first half and then proceeded to make an epic comeback to take the game into overtime, where a heads-up play on special teams from Ebner helped them secure a victory.

🧃 @NateEbner is an absolute DAWG

Check out the newest episode of @TheRealBOOMCast https://t.co/d6PaVikHEi pic.twitter.com/Ez1QeT2oXK

— Tyler Tredway (@CoachTredway) May 3, 2023

Ebner exemplified a player who was not afraid to make the gritty, heads-up type of plays. He was an important part of two Super Bowl-winning teams, and plays like this show exactly why.

  

Nate Ebner tells the story of his trip to the Olympic Games

 

Sunday Patriots Notes

Notes and thoughts on the Patriots and the NFL.

By Bernd Buchmasserr  

Apr 2, 2023, 10:00am EDT  

 

Nate Ebner tells the story of his trip to the Olympic Games. Appearing on Chris Long’s Green Light podcast last week, former Patriots special teamer Nate Ebner spoke about a variety of issues. One of the most interesting parts of the conversation was him speaking about his trip to the Olympic Games in 2016; Ebner participated in the rugby 7s as part of the United States’ squad.

Ebner, of course, had just signed a new contract extension with the Patriots ahead of his leave of absence.

“I became a free agent after that 2015 season — well, I didn’t quite become a free agent — but I talked to Bill and we got the contract squared,” he said. “I was like, ‘Look, Bill, I’m glad we got that squared, but rugby’s in the Olympics and I want to try to do that.’ I said, ‘This is something that I want to do. I feel very conflicted.’ It wasn’t a question, it was more like ‘This is something I’m going to do and if you can’t get with that I totally get it. But I have to do this; I’d think about it my whole life if I don’t.’

“We had that conversation, and instantly Bill is like, ‘Oh yeah, go for it.’ He didn’t have any hesitation.”

Ebner added that the Patriots ultimately went on to adjust his contract in order to account for his trip to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. That said, the whole experience was a positive one for the now-34-year-old.\

“I never thought it would work out that well,” he said. “And then to get that support, that leadership from Bill and the Patriots organization, Mr. Kraft, they were all wearing my shirt and supporting me, stopped training camp to watch me play ... that’s a first-class organization. I don’t care what anybody says, that place is awesome. Great people, and that’s a great example of it.”

Ebner, Long and the rest of the 2016 Patriots ultimately won the Super Bowl just six months after the Olympic Games.

Nate Ebner: The best Buckeye value from 6th round of the modern NFL Draft

 

These Scarlet and Gray legends produced the highest ROI relative to when they were selected in the NFL Draft.

By Josh Dooley  

Mar 17, 2023, 5:01pm EDT  

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Since 1936, the first year in which an official pro football draft took place, 481 Ohio State Buckeyes have been selected in the NFL Draft. Two players – Russ Thomas and Bob Meyers – were actually drafted into the NFL twice, in back-to-back (but separate) years. And 14 of those 481 former Buckeyes were also taken in the AFL Draft, including the legendary Hall of Fame wideout Paul Warfield. That makes 497 total draft picks for OSU since Gomer Jones was selected by the NFL’s Chicago Cardinals nearly a century ago.

Of the nearly 500 Buckeyes taken, hundreds have enjoyed successful pro careers, while others flamed out and/or never playing a snap after their time in Columbus. The Ohio State football program has produced NFL Hall of Famers, Pro Bowlers, Players and Rookies of the Year, ten-year tackling dummies, one-and-doners, monumental busts, and everything in between.

All of these former OSU football players share one thing in common, which is their affiliation with THE greatest university on the planet. Conversely, one thing that sets them all apart is their varying degrees of success (or lack thereof) in the NFL.

Another way to look at it is in terms of value. Each of these players produced value – positive or negative – for the team which drafted them. And that is what I am going to look at in the weeks leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft. I am going to attempt to identify the seven best Scarlet and Gray values, picking only one player from each round (length of the modern draft, and going in reverse order).

Before we get started, “best” and “most” must be sorted out. Best value is not the same as most valuable. And most valuable is not same as best value. Warfield, Eddie George, Orlando Pace, Jack Tatum, or Jim Parker would inarguably be among the most valuable (former) Buckeyes at the professional level. All became team captains, Pro Bowlers, eventual Hall of Famers, you name it. But they were also taken within the first 20 picks of their respective drafts, whereas Dick LeBeau made the NFL Hall of Fame as a fifth-rounder.

I might argue that LeBeau was the better overall value because of where/when he was drafted. But going round by round means I do not have to choose between Pace or LeBeau, which is a good thing because there are already plenty of difficult decisions ahead... Without further ado, let’s go bargain shopping.

Round 6: Nate Ebner, Safety

Ebner, a world-class rugby player, joined the Ohio State football team as a walk-on safety in 2009. While obviously familiar with the game, he never even played football for his high school team. And he was a third-year college student by the time he walked on in Columbus! Out of practice and out of his natural element, Ebner’s physicality and aggressiveness earned him an unlikely spot on the roster.

But in three seasons as a Buckeye, he made little if any impact at his DB position. Instead, Ebner made his mark on special teams. Blessed with good speed (4.5 in the 40), he sprinted down the field with reckless abandon on kick coverage. He was known for his win-at-all-costs mentality and willingness to sacrifice his body. Because of his mental makeup and toughness, he quickly garnered respect as a leader on the gridiron. He also earned the nickname “Leonidas” for his resemblance to actor Gerard Butler in the movie 300.

By the end of 2009, Ebner was already considered one of OSU’s best special teams players. And if you remember anything about those Jim Tressel-coached Buckeyes, you remember the emphasis placed on special teams. So to be mentioned as one of the best players on that unit was a real honor, and speaks volumes about how he was viewed by coaches and teammates.

The rugby-playing walk-on more than earned his spot on the roster during the next few seasons. He accumulated 30 special teams tackles during his Ohio State career, but made a larger impact than the stats would tell you. By 2011, Ebner was on scholarship and voted the team’s most inspirational player, as well as its best special teamer.

He also excelled in the classroom, earning All-Academic Big Ten each season he played for OSU. Ebner epitomized what it meant (and means) to be a Buckeye, and was revered by those in the program. His reputation and pro day performance would go on to earn him an unlikely opportunity in the NFL.

As most players do – even if they are not believed to be a highly-coveted draft prospect – Ebner participated in Ohio State’s pro day held after the 2011 season. Despite his limited role, NFL teams and personnel took notice. He ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, had a 39.5 inch vertical jump, and benched 225 pounds 23 times. At 6-feet and just over 200 pounds, he was viewed as a special athlete. Against all odds, the New England Patriots selected Ebner with pick No. 197 in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL draft.

And wouldn’t you know, he contributed right away as a rookie, finishing second on the Pats in special teams tackles and playing close to forty snaps as a safety. Ebner became a roster mainstay in short order and enjoyed plenty of success over the next eight seasons as a core special teamer with virtually no “traditional” positional value.

Ebner won three Super Bowls with New England, was named Second-Team All Pro in 2016, and received unusually high praise from Bill Belichick. The legendary coach once said of the former Buckeye:

“His development has really been outstanding. I would probably put him in the, not the all-time top, but maybe in the top-five percent all time of players that I’ve coached, from where they were in college to how they grew in the NFL.”

The Pats never won fewer than 11 regular season games with Ebner on their roster, although Tom Brady’s presence also played a role in the team’s unprecedented success. But Ebner was a key contributor. Furthermore, he was revered by coaches and teammates and provided leadership and attitude not easily found elsewhere.

Ebner spent years 9 and 10 of his NFL career with the New York Giants, for whom he last suited up in 2021... A decade in the league for a rugby-playing safety, taken in the sixth round of the draft, with one career pass breakup. Pretty unique. And pretty damn impressive.

Ebner only totaled 105 tackles, but played in 133 games during his NFL career — which again, lasted 10 seasons. He received an All-Pro nod in 2016 and legitimately contributed to three Super Bowl-winning teams in New England. While his traditional stats do not jump off the page, there is absolutely no question that Ebner provided tremendous value as a sixth-round draft pick.

The Answer Is, Nate Ebner! The American Participated in the Rugby Sevens Tournament at Rio ... - Latest Tweet by Olympics

 

The latest Tweet by Olympics states, 'The answer is, Nate Ebner! The American participated in the rugby sevens tournament at Rio 2016 and won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots a few months later! @Patriots | @NateEbner'

https://twitter.com/Olympics/status/1445416211618140171

Forgotten Buckeyes: Nate Ebner never started a game at Ohio State, but he is a legend nonetheless

 

The ongoing series where we re-remember lesser known Buckeye heroes.

By Josh Dooley@jdooleybuckeye  Jul 7, 2021, 3:31pm EDT

Ebner was at the center of many special teams celebrations

 

If you’ve been following Forgotten Buckeyes, first and foremost: thank you! It has been a lot of fun reminiscing about some of the most under-appreciated heroes in OSU football history. From Scotty Mac to Damon Moore, all the players in this series made a special contribution to Ohio State, and we should continue to celebrate their legacy.

That being said, as the football season rapidly approaches, we are going to put a pause on Forgotten Buckeyes after this installment. It will be back! I can promise you that! Just taking a break to focus on some more timely topics, and reload for a different version of the series.

I look forward to highlighting forgotten OSU hoopers soon, and I would love to hear some of your Forgotten Buckeyes before the series returns. I am going to close it out (for now) with a personal favorite.

Contrary to how it sometimes seems, not every difference-making football player at Ohio State will go on to have success in the NFL. In fact, it is a small group that even makes it onto a Week One roster.

However, just because a former player fades away from the spotlight, it does not mean that they deserve to be forgotten. Some of the most important moments and memories from the last 20 years can be attributed to the players whose careers ended with a bowl game.

This is a series acknowledging forgotten Buckeyes; an ode to the players without pictures and plaques hanging in The Horseshoe. These guys all played a pivotal role in historic Ohio State moments, and should be remembered for their special contributions to OSU football.

Nate Ebner | DB/Special Teams (2009 - 2011)

Might as well call this guy Captain America Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images

 

Nate Ebner has become infinitely more recognizable since leaving Ohio State than he was as a Buckeye. Unlike his time in Columbus, at least a few fanbases are now acutely aware of his on-field contributions and locker room leadership. In a way, he is the perfect Forgotten Buckeye because his OSU playing career was so forgettable! For those who do know the name, Ebner is a great example of hard work, perseverance, and chasing your dreams.

Ebner was born in the Columbus suburb of Dublin, and attended high school in nearby Hilliard. His father Jeff was a former college rugby player, and that became Nate’s first love. He developed into a star at the junior level, eventually playing in three Junior World Cups. He continued to play at the club and national level in college, earning MVP of the IRB Junior World Championships in 2007 and 2008.

Because of his success and passion for rugby, Ebner did not play football in high school. Even upon his enrollment at Ohio State, he still had no intentions of pursuing a football career. It was not until 2009, after a life-altering event, that he would finally pursue opportunity on the gridiron.

His father, Jeff Ebner, was tragically murdered in November of 2008. He was working at the family business, Ebner & Sons (which his son called “the junkyard”), when a robbery attempt went terribly wrong. Nate was his only child, and they were inseparable. Jeff introduced his son to rugby, and was fortunate enough to be a fan during his best years on the pitch.

Just prior to his passing, he was also able to have a conversation with Nate regarding his pursuit of football. Jeff fully supported him, and encouraged his son to chase a new dream. If you want to read more about the Ebners’ relationship, Nate released a book this year called “Finish Strong: A Father’s Code and a Son’s Path,” and it speaks more to the strong bond they shared.

After his father’s tragic death, when many would struggle to just move forward, Nate Ebner plowed ahead. He became a walk-on for the Ohio State football team in 2009. While he was obviously familiar with the game, Eber was out of practice — to say the least. However, his physicality and aggressiveness earned him a spot on the roster. Listed as a safety, he barely saw the field on defense that season. He played just a handful of downs in the Buckeyes’ nickel package, but did record a sack.

Ebner made his mark on special teams. Blessed with good speed (4.5 in the 40), he sprinted down the field with reckless abandon on kick coverage. He was known for his win-at-all-costs mentality and willingness to sacrifice his body. Because of his mental makeup and toughness, he quickly became viewed as a leader on the football field. He also earned the nickname “Leonidas” for his resemblance to the movie character in “300.”

By year-end, Ebner was considered one of, if not the, best special teams players for OSU. The Buckeyes have preached the importance of special teams for many years, so to be mentioned as one of the best players on the unit is a real honor, and speaks volumes about how he was viewed by coaches and teammates.

Ebner more than earned a spot on the roster over the next two seasons. He accumulated 30 special teams tackles during his Ohio State career, but made a larger impact than the stats would tell you. By 2011, he was on scholarship and voted the team’s most inspirational player, as well as its best special teamer. He also excelled in the classroom, earning All-Academic Big Ten each season he played for OSU. Ebner epitomized what it means to be a Buckeye, and was revered by those in the program. His reputation and pro day performance would go on to earn him an unlikely opportunity in the NFL.

As with pretty much every player who chooses to do so, Ebner participated in Ohio State’s pro day held after the 2011 season. Despite his limited role, NFL teams and personnel took notice. He ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, had a 39.5 inch vertical jump, and benched 225 pounds 23 times. At 6-feet and just over 200 pounds, he was viewed as a special athlete. Against all odds, the New England Patriots selected Ebner in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL draft.

He stepped in as a rookie and played right away. He finished second on the team in special teams tackles, and even played close to forty snaps as a safety. Ebner would enjoy plenty of success over the course of his New England career. He won three Super Bowls, was named Second-Team All Pro in 2016, and head coach Bill Belichick once said that he was in the top five percent of players he had ever coached when it came to growth and development from college to the pros. Ebner also took a brief NFL sabbatical to go back to his rugby roots, when he played for the Team USA Rugby Team in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Ebner is not yet retired from the NFL, but is currently without a contract. He spent 2020 with the New York Giants, and is rehabbing an injury in hopes of returning. That injury kept him from making a return to the Olympics, which he was considering beforehand.

That injury and lack of a contract are small potatoes for Ebner though. He is a Forgotten Buckeye with an unforgettable story, and has overcome all of the odds stacked against him. From walk-on, to NFL draft pick, to United States Olympian, Nate Ebner is a one-of-a-kind Buckeye legend.

Nate Ebner Exclusive: “Rugby made me the way I am”

 

by Joe Harvey  Monday 31 May 2021

Nate Ebner is hoping to represent the USA at a second Olympic Games this Summer

©Martin Seras Lima

 

Five years ago, Mike Friday gave Nate Ebner a 10 to 20 per cent chance of making Team USA’s sevens side for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Having just signed a two-year contract extension with the New England Patriots, on paper, an NFL player looking to make the Olympics seemed as though it was a gimmick, but there was a time where the opposite would have been said about the three-time Super Bowl champion. 

It was in his third year of college that Ebner stepped onto an American Football field to try out for Ohio State. Having not played the sport for the entirety of his life up to that point, the centre only knew rugby, earning caps for the USA at U19 and U20 level whilst playing at Junior World Cups.

Feeling as though he had reached the peak of American rugby’s Everest and not wanting to move abroad, Ebner sat down with his father, Jeff, to discuss trying out for the Buckeyes. 

It was his father’s passion for rugby that had fuelled Ebner’s career up to that point and the day after that conversation between the pair, Jeff was killed in an attempted robbery at the family’s auto reclaim business. 

“I voiced to him that I wanted to look into walking on to the football team at Ohio State with the view to try and get to the NFL and that was hard because we both shared a love for rugby,” Ebner said. 

“I had been a high performing young player in the US, played in junior World Cups and went to some sevens camps as a really young kid. I had a future for myself, so I had to break it to him that I wanted to do that. 

“That decision was rooted in the stagnant state in which rugby was in in the US. It was maxed out, there were no leagues to play in and there wasn’t a lot for me to do. I had the conversation with him, and he supported me. 

“I was sat across the table from someone who I care about what they think so much, but at the end of the day, they believe in me more than I believe in myself. He supported me all the way with the thought process that if I was going to do it, I needed to do it all the way with everything I had.

“So, I went all-football, all in and if it didn’t work, then I could say I gave it everything that I had, and if it did, then I could attribute it to the work that I put in, but that rugby would always be there if it didn’t work out.

“That was what we talked about, and he passed the next day.

“Obviously, there was some mourning and things that I had to go through. I speak to my Mom’s strength in my book (Finish Strong: A Father’s Code and a Son’s Path) and her words pulled me out of that.

“It was motivated by what my Dad would want for me and he wouldn’t want me to have my life ruined because he was gone. Once I got my mind right and thought back on things, I wanted to keep that promise of that conversation he and I had and that is where the journey took off without him, but really in spirit, he is with me through it all.”

In the years that have followed, it is fair to say that Ebner has thrived in his second sport. Playing 36 games in college as a special teams player, the 32-year-old was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2012 and played in 15 regular season fixtures and two play-off matches in his first season and repeated the same feat a season later.

It was in 2014 that he and his teammates picked up a Super Bowl ring. That campaign, Bill Belichick described Ebner’s development as ‘outstanding’ to the Boston Globe, before going on to say that the man from Ohio was maybe in ‘the top five per cent of all time players that I’ve coached, from where they were in college to how they grew in the NFL’.

Missing four games of that 2014 season with a broken thumb, Ebner remained as a constant for the Pat’s in 2015 and following the conclusion of that term, he went on his first Olympic adventure. Signing a two-year $2.4m extension in Foxborough, Ebner joined the likes of Sonny Bill Williams, Bryan Habana and Quade Cooper in trying to represent their nation at the 2016 Games. 

It was then that Friday gave the Super Bowl winner a one in 10 chance of making the final squad for the Olympics. After arriving at the Elite High Performance Center in Chula Vista, California, Ebner’s performances in Hong Kong, Singapore and Paris secured his place on the plane to Rio.

Playing in every pool game for the USA, Ebner and his teammates could not escape the group stages with points difference sinking their hopes of a medal. 

In the years that have followed, Ebner has collected two more Super Bowl rings, acted as a studio analyst for NBC Sports during the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens and is a minority owner of Major League Rugby team, the New England Free Jacks. 

In the spring of last year, having been released by the Patriots, Ebner began preparing to play at a second Olympic Games. At that time, the 32-year-old had no team and was looking to focus wholly on his rugby until Covid-19 intervened.

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When the Olympics were cancelled, Ebner had to find himself work for the 2020 NFL season. Staying on the east coast, he was reunited with his special teams coordinator at the Patriots, Joe Judge, who had just taken on the role of head coach at the New York Giants. 

Playing in all 16 of the Giants' 2020 fixtures, Ebner and his new teammates won six of those games and placed second in the NFC East, missing out on any play-off action. Now, for a second time in his career, Ebner is back in Chula Vista and hoping to be part of Friday’ plans for the Olympics once more and has the full support of those around him.

“I think when you have got a Bill Belichick, who is who he is and supports you the way he does, it not only gives me the support in what I am doing, it gives me the strength that I have the confidence to go hard, knowing he has my back,” Ebner said. 

“Joe Judge was there the whole time, he saw me do what I did in ’16 and thankfully I have him around this time and he knew what it did for me as a football player. He knew what it meant to me. When you have that support, it just allows you to confidently go towards what you want to do, and I don’t have to second guess their support or where I stand with them when it is done.

“I think the biggest thing when I went in ’16 is that I was ready to have that conversation if I didn’t get that support, that I was going to say, ‘I’ll have to see you on the other side of this and we will figure out what we want to do and if you still want to have me on your team’. I was ready to have that conversation because I was convicted.

“But when you have that support off the bat, it is great. You don’t have to have that conversation and I can go confidently.

Such is the multi-billion-dollar nature of the NFL, your mind quickly turns to asking why Ebner has been granted this opportunity for a second time.

Not a star name like teammates past and present (a Tom Brady, a Rob Gronkowski or a Saquon Barkley), Ebner believes it is his work ethic created from rugby that gives him a shot at playing his first sport at the highest level possible. 

“Ultimately, I think they like me for who I am and the character that I have and the effort I put towards my job every day and the consistency I bring,” Ebner said. “Bill respects that, Joe respects that. I think it is the character, it is the work ethic, it is the consistency of who I am.

“With that said, rugby made me that way. Rugby made me the humble person that I am. I understand team sport as well as anyone because of rugby. You can’t score unless you get a good ball from somebody. You don’t get that ball unless somebody has a good clean out. It takes all of us and rugby made me the way I am.

“It made me understand that it is bigger than me and it made me understand that I need to work hard for my teammates. They might like those characteristics about me and not even understand rugby’s relation to that, but it is rugby that made me that way and that is what they like about me.”

It is in some ways difficult to put into words just quite how phenomenal Ebner’s journey has been. When looking at some of the names in the USA U20’s side that he played in, it is also clear to see how much rugby in North America has evolved overall. 

His midfield partner Thretton Palamo has played professionally in France, England and Wales and now represents Old Glory DC, Zack Test is now San Diego’s head coach, and Shawn Pittman is Utah’s interim head coach.

Myself & @AbbyGustaitis sat down with @USARugby Olympian and Super Bowl Winner @NateEbner for an @TheAmRugbyShow Eagle Watch Special ‼️ Nate opens up and talks his inspiring life story centred around his relationship with rugby and his father 👉🏻 https://t.co/XRghEYcR7d pic.twitter.com/i5NSimQlY1

— Alex Corbisiero (@AlexCorbs) May 28, 2021

With a sustainable professional league, a collegiate draft that incentivises young players to carry on playing rugby and a high quality sevens set up, it is clear that the seeds of change have been well and truly sown.

“In my book, I talk a lot about the growth of rugby,” Ebner said. “Not only from me being in a crib on the side-lines of my Dad’s rugby games, but as a youth player playing in men’s leagues, as a youth player playing on the national team and doing sevens camps at 17. 

“Ten, 15 years later when I am 32 and I am here now (Chula Vista) and the average age is younger and everyone has played the game their entire lives and the skill level has changed, the 19-year-old Nate Ebner that chooses to walk on at Ohio State because he doesn’t have a choice with rugby US doesn’t exist anymore. 

“I didn’t want to go to England or France or anything like that. I wanted to stay in my country. Now, I think another 19-year-old kid in my situation is going to have a tougher decision to make. Whether he goes to try and walk on at a school like Ohio State to play football, he now has MLR or the Olympics for the sevens team that can compete to win a medal. 

“He has got the chance and the facilities around him now to be one of the better rugby players in the world, so you can strive for that. I think that pattern is only going to grow and it is only going to trend that way exponentially faster than it has in the last 15, 20 years that I have been around.

“There has been a lot of groundwork. I think people just think that MLR has just come around, has had a little success and this thing is just happening, but there has been a tonne of people before us that have kind of laid the foundations, with pro leagues that have failed, rugby just trying to get started as a community, but it has been a lot of work.

“You see the youth level improvements. Where these kids are is so much better in their early to mid-20s than when I was that age. It improves the quality of rugby, and it improves the competition within squads and makes more people want to watch. Everything gets better when you grow it organically and it is happening right in front of us.

“I think it is only going to continue to grow and I am excited of where it is now, and it has got a good foothold.”