Nate Ebner is officially a historic NFL player.
Not for what he's done on the gridiron ... at least not yet. The Patriots safety has 11 career tackles. But Ebner made history by becoming the first active NFL player to compete in the Summer Olympics.
Ebner is a member of USA Rugby, which dropped a heartbreaker to Argentina in their first match in Rio but bounced back with a 26-0 win over Brazil in their second contest on Tuesday. Ebner was a key contributor, scoring on a try -- the rugby equivalent of a touchdown -- in the first half and laying out a Brazil player with a hit, according to ProFootballTalk.
Ebner is still a Patriot. Post-game he said, "Things don't go your way all the time, but we got the job done. We're on to the next one."
— Christopher Gasper (@cgasper) August 9, 2016
Ebner is on a leave of absence until his Olympic journey concludes. ESPN reported that Patriots players and coaches gathered to watch the Brazil match. Earlier Tuesday, Pats coaches wore Ebner-related T-shirts at practice.
Bill Belichick supporting Nate Ebner with some USA Rugby gear. Games today vs. Argentina (12p) and Brazil (5p). pic.twitter.com/Lr3wV5oGY2
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) August 9, 2016
Belichick and the #Patriots coaches are wearing Nate Ebner USA Rugby shirts at today’s practice pic.twitter.com/mVks47eLd9
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) August 9, 2016
Patriots coaches are wearing shirts supporting Nate Ebner ahead of USA Rugby's olympic matchup today. pic.twitter.com/y7y5KQDLpU
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) August 9, 2016
Ebner is now part of a trivia question with Herschel Walker, who was the first active NFL player to appear in the Winter Olympics. Walker competed in the bobsled, which remains the Olympic event that looks like the most fun to participate in (unless you die).
Go USA.