The sports of American football and rugby have some similarities, and there are more than a handful of football players who have at one time or another played some Aussie rules football. New England Patriots safety Nate Ebner is looking to become a rare Super Bowl champion with a gold medal.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports Ebner is taking a leave of absence to train with the United States rugby team that plans on competing at the summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro later this year.
Patriots' S Nate Ebner taking leave of absence from team today to begin training for US rugby team and summer Olympics. Returns in Aug.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2016
Ebner released a statement thanking the Patriots for re-signing him and letting him try out for the US rugby team.
“First and foremost, I want to thank the Patriots from top to bottom for giving me the opportunity to come back and play for a truly first-class organization,” Ebner said.
The Patriots re-signed Ebner, who was unrestricted free agent, on Tuesday. Terms were not disclosed.
“I also want to thank them and USA Rugby for giving me the opportunity to chase a dream I’ve had since I was a boy in a sport in which I’ve always had a passion,” Ebner said. “I can’t put into words how much this opportunity means to not only me, but my friends and family as well.
“I plan to represent the Patriots and our country to the best of my ability. Thanks again and Go Pats and go USA.”
The Patriots also tweeted their support for Ebner.
We are proud to support @Natebner34 in his effort to earn a place on the United States National Rugby team.
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) March 15, 2016
Ebner has been tied to the United States rugby program for a decade now. At 17 years old, Ebner became the youngest player to play for the US national rugby sevens team and he later went on to play 15-a-side rugby for the United States under-19 and under-20 teams. He earned MVP honors at the 2007 and 2008 IRB Junior World Championships.
The United States will be an underdog to win at the Olympics, but they do currently hold an international ranking of No. 6 according to World Rugby. New Zealand is the top-ranked nation in the rugby world right now, followed by England, France, Ireland, and Canada. Australia comes in just behind the United States. The United States has two gold medals in rugby competition at the Olympics, in 1920 and 1924. The sport has not been included in the summer games since that 1924 Olympic cycle, but the IOC voted rugby sevens into the Summer Olympics mix back in 2009, with the reintroduction of the sport making a return in 2016.
If the United States can capture the gold in the rugby sevens competition, Ebner would join Bob Hayes in some exclusive company as the only men alive with a Super Bowl ring and an Olympic gold medal in their collection. Hayes won a gold medal in the 100-meter dash in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and another in the 4 x 100 m relay. He was a part of the Dallas Cowboys’ Super Bowl championship roster in 1971 that defeated the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI.
[ESPN]
