Nate Ebner

Nate Ebner (born December 14, 1988) is an American former professional football player, rugby athlete, and coach, best known for his eight seasons as a special teams safety with the New England Patriots, where he contributed to three Super Bowl victories, and for representing the United States in rugby sevens at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Born in Dublin, Ohio, Ebner grew up in the Columbus area and initially focused on rugby, becoming the youngest player on the U.S. Men's Eagles Sevens team at age 17 while attending Hilliard Davidson High School. Without prior football experience, he walked on at Ohio State University in 2009, earning a scholarship as a special teams player and majoring in nutrition, graduating in 2012. His college career highlighted his tackling prowess, recording 30 special teams tackles.

Ebner's family heritage is marked by his Jewish background on his father's side, with Jeffrey Ebner instilling in him an appreciation for Jewish traditions and holidays from a young age, despite his mother's Christian upbringing. Jeffrey, a former college rugby player at the University of Minnesota and owner of an auto salvage business, played a pivotal role in shaping Ebner's early interests, introducing him to rugby as a toddler and fostering a deep father-son bond through the sport, which they played together on weekends. Nancy Pritchett provided steady support for the family, remarrying later and relocating with Ebner to the Hilliard suburb of Columbus by eighth grade to offer a stable environment amid the divorce's aftermath.