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.

Report: Aggie legend Ty Warren hired to coaching position with Stephen F. Austin

 

Within the annals of Texas A&M Football history, no one has yet to top the legend that is defensive tackle Ty Warren, who after four dominant seasons (1999-2003) with the Aggies, went on to be selected 13th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots (2003-2010).

Earlier this week, rumors were confirmed by Football Scoops’ Zach Barnett that Warren has taken a coaching position with FCS Stephen F. Austin under Head coach Colby Carthel as the defensive line coach, and will also serve as the assistant head coach for the 2023 college football season.

In seven NFL seasons with the Patriots, Warren won Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl XXXIX in his first two seasons with the franchise, while accumulating 374 tackles and 20.5 sacks and was named First-Team All-Pro after the 2007 season, and is a member of the All-Decade Team. Warren played one season with the Denver Broncos before retiring after the 2012 season, and before the 2010 offseason, Warren returned to Texas A&M to finish his undergraduate degree in Agricultural Development and became the first member of his family to graduate from college.

Warren’s coaching career began as a minority coaching assistant for the Detroit Lions during the 2020 season, and after a brief coaching internship with the New Orleans Saints, he was hired by the XFL’s Orlando Guardians as the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach on Sept. 13th of last year, but suddenly left the program in late March, and now we all know the reason behind the departure.

Warren is joining a Lumberjacks program that won a share of the WAC championship in 2022. Congratulations to Ty Warren and his family on the promotion in what is already a very bright coaching future!

Patriots reportedly signing veteran OT Riley Reiff, expect him to start

 

Chicago Bears offensive tackle Riley Reiff (71) lines up during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022, in Atlanta. The Atlanta Falcons won 27-24. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)

 

By ANDREW CALLAHAN | acallahan@bostonherald.com

PUBLISHED: March 15, 2023 at 10:07 a.m. | UPDATED: March 15, 2023 at 10:20 a.m.

 

The Patriots are expected to sign free-agent offensive tackle Riley Reiff, according to ESPN.

Reiff, an 11-year veteran, started 10 games last season at right tackle with the Bears but can play both sides. The Patriots expect him to win a starting job in training camp, per The Athletic.

Reiff started his career at left tackle and has enjoyed previous stints in Detroit (2012-16), Minnesota (’17-20), Cincinnati (2021) and Chicago (2022). Last season, Reiff allowed pressure on 6.1% of his pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus, and posted an average run-blocking grade. In New England, he joins Trent Brown and the newly-signed Calvin Anderson as the top contenders to start at offensive tackle next season.

The Patriots had a revolving door at right tackle last year between Isaiah Wynn, Yodny Cajuste and Conor McDermott. Reiff might also serve as a swing tackle if Brown, Anderson and/or a draft pick win the starting jobs. The 34-year-old is a former captain who also crossed paths with Pats interior lineman James Ferentz in college Iowa.

Before reaching terms with Reiff, the Pats re-signed McDermott and tendered Cajuste, a restricted free agent.

In a postseason press conference, Bears GM Ryan Poles raved about Reiff’s impact on his young team.

“That guy did more than a lot of people think for that O-line room and the mentality,” Poles said. “When I first got here, I wasn’t fired up on how we protected the quarterback in terms of getting ’em off the ground and that attitude and that physicality. He’s a reason why we ran the ball so well. We finished. We had an attitude. We had an identity and that’s a lot because of guys like him.”

Riley played only one snap in the Patriots’ 33-14 loss to Chicago last October, but started the team’s final 10 games. He also started all 12 games he played in with the Bengals in 2021.