Nate Ebner
An elite special teams ace who took an unprecedented detour to play Olympic rugby for the USA.
Born 1988 (age 38)·American football and rugby sevens player·Birthday: December 14·Millennials
Biography
Nate Ebner's path to professional sports was anything but ordinary. A standout rugby player in his youth, he walked onto the Ohio State football team and impressed enough to be drafted by the New England Patriots solely for his special teams potential. He became a core, relentless contributor for Bill Belichick, winning three Super Bowls with his fearless play. In a stunning mid-career pivot, he secured a release to chase his Olympic dream, making the US rugby sevens team for the 2016 Rio Games. Returning to the NFL, he continued his special teams dominance, proving that world-class athleticism and tactical discipline could translate across two very different codes of football.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Nate was born in 1988, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nate Was Born
The biggest hits of 1988
#1 Movie
Rain Man
Best Picture
Rain Man
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Nate's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1988Born
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1993Started school
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2001Became a teenager
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Could drive
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2006Could vote
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2009Turned 21
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2018Turned 30
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 38 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won three Super Bowls (XLIX, LI, LIII) as a special teams standout with the New England Patriots.
- Represented the United States in rugby sevens at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
- Earned First-team All-Big Ten honors as a senior at Ohio State University despite walking onto the team.
- Played in over 130 NFL regular season games, almost exclusively on special teams units.
Did You Know?
He was a member of the U.S. national rugby sevens team before playing college football.
His father was murdered during a robbery at the family-owned business, a tragedy that deeply affected him.
He was a standout rugby player at Ohio State, helping the team win a national collegiate championship in 2010.
“I made a career out of doing the dirty work nobody else wanted to do.”
