Nate Wayne
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel Wayne, Jr. is a former American football
linebacker
in the National Football League
. He played college football
at the University of Mississippi
(Ole Miss.) He graduated with a degree in criminal justice. He was known as "Mr. Monday Night," as he consistently performed well on Monday Night Football
.
with 219th selection in the 1998 NFL Draft
. He played one game for the Denver Broncos
in 1998, when they won their second straight Super Bowl
. He played a slightly larger role on the team in 1999, but was mainly a special teamer. He signed with the Green Bay Packers
and play with them as a starter and major contributor to the defense for three years, recording 298 tackles, ten sacks, six interceptions, five forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries, and 23 passes defensed.
Wayne signed a four-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles
on March 14, 2003. He started in 2003, but was limited to playing on nickel packages in 2004, due to the promotion of Jeremiah Trotter
, and movement of Mark Simoneau
to weakside linebacker. Even then he lost playing time to Keith Adams
. Wayne was the first Eagle released in the 2005 off-season, and signed with the Lions later that year.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
(Ole Miss.) He graduated with a degree in criminal justice. He was known as "Mr. Monday Night," as he consistently performed well on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
.
Professional career
Wayne was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
with 219th selection in the 1998 NFL Draft
1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 18-19, 1998...
. He played one game for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1998, when they won their second straight Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
. He played a slightly larger role on the team in 1999, but was mainly a special teamer. He signed with the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
and play with them as a starter and major contributor to the defense for three years, recording 298 tackles, ten sacks, six interceptions, five forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries, and 23 passes defensed.
Wayne signed a four-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on March 14, 2003. He started in 2003, but was limited to playing on nickel packages in 2004, due to the promotion of Jeremiah Trotter
Jeremiah Trotter
Jeremiah Trotter is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Stephen F...
, and movement of Mark Simoneau
Mark Simoneau
Mark Lee Simoneau is a former American football linebacker who played for ten seasons in the National Football League. He played college football at Kansas State and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played for the Falcons from 2000–2002, before he was...
to weakside linebacker. Even then he lost playing time to Keith Adams
Keith Adams (American football)
Keith A. Adams is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
. Wayne was the first Eagle released in the 2005 off-season, and signed with the Lions later that year.