FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - As the New England Patriots are hard at work at training camp, special teams safety Nate Ebner is in Brazil, competing on the United States Men’s Rugby Team.
Patriots Coach Bill Belichick granted Ebner, 27, a leave of absence so he could play in the Olympics. Though Ebner has made his career in football and won a Super Bowl with the Patriots, he has played rugby long before he took up football. When it was announced that rugby would be returning to Olympics for the first since 1924, Ebner said he knew he had to try out.
“It’s part of one of the biggest sporting competitions in the world. How do you not want to be a part of that?” said Ebner.
Ebner was inspired to take up rugby by his father Jeff, who played when Ebner was a child. He later coached Ebner’s high school. Eight years ago, Jeff Ebner was beaten to death during a robbery when his son was just 19. His mother said he did not handle the news well and gave up playing rugby.
“I said, you know Nate, what happened was tragic, nobody shouuld have to go through that,” said Nancy Pritchett, Ebner’s mother. “No one should, but you are still alive. You are still here and you’ve got to live your life. If your dad was standing here next to me, he would be so upset to see you weren’t moving on.”
Two months after his father’s murder, Ebner went back to playing sports. He took up football and joined the team at Ohio State. Ebner was voted the football team’s Most Inspirational Player in his last season before the Patriots drafted him in 2012. Ebner said he is very grateful that his teammates in Foxborough are supporting him as he plays in the Olympics.
“I think it says a lot about how they feel about me and it’s just awesome to have that backing me up,” said Ebner.
As he competes in Rio, Ebner said he will be thinking of his father as this was the game they shared together.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)