Nate Ebner is probably the most interesting man in the 2016 Olympic Games.
Well know as a Superbowl winning safety for Bill Belichick's New England Patriots, Ebner is someone who's path to the NFL was totally unique and involve conquering the most horrific personal grief imaginable.
Unlike, well, every other NFL player, Nate Ebner was actually a rugby star in high-school and college, and walked-on to the football team at Ohio State when he decided that he wanted to play in the NFL. Literally, he just decided and worked his ass off. So perhaps "turned Rugby star" is unfair as he was initially a rugby player, but became famous through the NFL.
His father, who was also a rugby star and Nate's best friend, was violently murdered at work in a robbery while his son was still in college, and that would have been unimaginably tough to deal with. Despite how difficult that would have been to overcome, Ebner was drafted in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL draft and still remains a Patriot to this day.
The Pats have granted Ebner permission to chase his Olympic dream, a dream shared by his late father, and the incredible story has been beautifully told by Bleacher Report ahead of the Rio Olympics:
Truly remarkable.
To get to the NFL having been away from the sport for as long as he was is almost impossible, as is being a walk-on at Ohio State, but his personal battle having lost his father is what is truly impressive.
And he's been doing quite well in Rio too. Team USA face an uphill task to get out of their group despite beating Brazil 26-0.
Nate Ebner scoring a try for the US pic.twitter.com/a8lPNIBtT3
— Nicholas O'Malley (@nickjomalley) August 9, 2016
Although NFL habits clearly die hard...
Nate Ebner is killing people in Rugby 7's! @stoolpresidente @BarstoolBigCat @barstooltweets pic.twitter.com/uNLIebjU1L
— Dan Girard (@dangirard14) August 9, 2016
Still, fair play to him, what an incredible story.
