Nate Burleson facts for kids
Burleson working for NFL Network in 2015
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| No. 14, 81, 13 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver / Return specialist | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | August 19, 1981 Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 198 lb (90 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | O'Dea (Seattle, Washington, U.S.) | ||||||||||
| College: | Nevada (1999–2002) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2003 / Round: 3 / Pick: 71 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Nathaniel "Nate" Eugene Burleson (born August 19, 1981) is a Canadian-American TV host, football expert, and former professional football player. He played as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Nevada Wolf Pack. He was recognized as a top college player in 2002.
Burleson was chosen by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2003 NFL draft. He also played for the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions. After his football career, Nate became a well-known TV personality. He co-hosts CBS Mornings and covers football for CBS on The NFL Today. He also works with Nickelodeon on their football shows. From 2019 to 2021, he was a New York reporter for the entertainment news show Extra. He has even appeared on rap songs using the name New Balance. In 2024, it was announced that Burleson would host a new version of the classic game show Hollywood Squares, which started in January 2025.
Contents
Early Life and Family Background
Nate Burleson was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. His father, Al Burleson, was a professional football player for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Nate comes from a family of talented athletes.
- His oldest brother, Alvin Jr., played college football.
- His brother Kevin played professional basketball for the Charlotte Bobcats in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
- His younger brother Lyndale played college basketball for the University of Nevada.
Nate and Kevin are one of only two pairs of brothers where one played in the NBA and the other in the NFL. Nate wore jersey number 81 for the Seattle Seahawks, which was his father's high school number.
In 1983, Nate's family moved to the United States when his father joined the Los Angeles Express football team. After his father's playing career ended, the family settled in Seattle, Washington. Nate went to Rainier View Elementary School and later graduated from O'Dea High School in Seattle. In high school, he was named the Seattle Times City Athlete of the Year. He was also a talented runner and hurdler in track and field. He won a state championship in the 300-meter hurdles in 1999.
College Football Career
Nate Burleson wanted to play football for the University of Washington, where his father went. However, he received a scholarship offer from the University of Nevada, Reno instead. He played for the Nevada Wolf Pack.
In 2002, his senior year, Nate had an amazing season. He caught 138 passes, which was the second-highest number in NCAA history at the time. He led the NCAA in both receiving yards and catches per game. During his college career, he made 248 catches for 3,293 yards and 22 touchdowns. He was recognized as a first-team All-America player. He still holds records for the most catches in a single game for his conference and university. Nate earned a degree in human development and family studies.
Professional Football Career
Nate Burleson was chosen by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round of the 2003 NFL draft. He was the 71st player picked overall.
Minnesota Vikings (2003–2005)
Nate showed potential in his first year. In his second season, 2004, he became the team's main receiver after another player, Randy Moss, got injured. Burleson had a great year, gaining over 1,000 receiving yards. He was also excellent at returning punts. He is the only player in NFL history to have three punt returns of 90 yards or more.
Seattle Seahawks (2006–2009)
On March 24, 2006, Burleson signed a contract to play for his hometown team, the Seattle Seahawks. In 2008, he suffered a knee injury in the first game of the season and missed the rest of the year. Nate holds the Seahawks' team records for most punt return yards in a single season (2007) and for his entire career.
Detroit Lions (2010–2013)
On March 5, 2010, Burleson joined the Detroit Lions. He reunited with his former coach, Scott Linehan, who he had worked with during his best season in 2004. In 2011, Nate received an award for being friendly and helpful to the media. In September 2013, he broke his forearm in a car accident. Reports said he was trying to save a pizza from falling in his car. The Lions released him in February 2014.
Cleveland Browns (2014)
On April 6, 2014, Burleson signed a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns. However, he was released from the team on August 30, 2014.
NFL Career Statistics
Regular Season Receiving Stats
| Year | Team | Games Played | Receptions | Targets | Yards | Average | Longest Catch | Touchdowns | First Downs | Fumbles | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | MIN | 16 | 29 | 57 | 455 | 15.7 | 52 | 2 | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| 2004 | MIN | 16 | 68 | 102 | 1,006 | 14.8 | 68 | 9 | 50 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | MIN | 12 | 30 | 52 | 328 | 10.9 | 20 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | SEA | 16 | 18 | 37 | 192 | 10.7 | 36 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | SEA | 16 | 50 | 96 | 694 | 13.9 | 45 | 9 | 37 | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 | SEA | 1 | 5 | 9 | 60 | 12.0 | 20 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | SEA | 13 | 63 | 103 | 812 | 12.9 | 44 | 3 | 42 | 2 | 2 |
| 2010 | DET | 14 | 55 | 86 | 625 | 11.4 | 58 | 6 | 32 | 2 | 2 |
| 2011 | DET | 16 | 73 | 110 | 757 | 10.4 | 47 | 3 | 36 | 1 | 1 |
| 2012 | DET | 6 | 27 | 43 | 240 | 8.9 | 26 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | DET | 9 | 39 | 55 | 461 | 11.8 | 47 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| Career Totals | 135 | 457 | 750 | 5,630 | 12.3 | 68 | 39 | 284 | 8 | 7 | |
Regular Season Return Stats
| Year | Team | Games Played | Punt Returns | Punt Return Yards | Punt Return Touchdowns | Fair Catches | Longest Punt Return | Kick Returns | Kick Return Yards | Kick Return Touchdowns | Longest Kick Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | MIN | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | MIN | 16 | 25 | 214 | 1 | 9 | 91 | 2 | 51 | 0 | 29 |
| 2005 | MIN | 12 | 5 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | SEA | 16 | 34 | 322 | 1 | 7 | 90 | 26 | 643 | 0 | 50 |
| 2007 | SEA | 16 | 58 | 658 | 1 | 8 | 94 | 27 | 590 | 1 | 91 |
| 2008 | SEA | 1 | 3 | 54 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | SEA | 13 | 30 | 254 | 0 | 3 | 29 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2010 | DET | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career Totals | 104 | 156 | 1,523 | 3 | 30 | 94 | 57 | 1,286 | 1 | 91 | |
Broadcasting Career
After his football career ended in 2014, Nate Burleson started working as a football analyst.
NFL Network and CBS
In 2015, Burleson joined the Detroit Lions' preseason TV team as a commentator. In 2016, he became a co-host of Good Morning Football on NFL Network. In 2017, he also joined the NFL on CBS team as a studio analyst for The NFL Today, while still co-hosting Good Morning Football. He has won two Sports Emmy Awards for being an outstanding studio analyst (in 2021 and 2022). Burleson gained attention for correctly predicting the exact final score of Super Bowl LVII (Kansas City Chiefs 38, Philadelphia Eagles 35) and picking Patrick Mahomes as the game's MVP.
Paramount (formerly ViacomCBS)
In 2021, Burleson expanded his work with CBS and its related companies. He was a commentator for the NFL Wild Card game shown on Nickelodeon. He also hosted the reunion show for the first season of The Challenge: All Stars on Paramount+. In August 2021, CBS named Burleson a co-anchor for CBS Mornings, a new version of CBS This Morning. He continued to work with Nickelodeon, hosting their weekly highlights show NFL Slimetime. He also called Nickelodeon's Christmas Day football broadcast in 2022. In 2023, Nickelodeon announced that Burleson would co-host the 2023 Kids' Choice Awards.
Personal Life
Nate Burleson is married to Atoya. They have two sons, Nathaniel and Nehemiah, and a daughter named Mia. Mia sometimes appears on NFL Slimetime as a contributor. Nate has also rapped on several songs under the name "New Balance."
See also
- List of NCAA major college football yearly receiving leaders
