Natrone Means
Encyclopedia
Natrone Jermaine Means (born April 26, 1972 in Harrisburg, North Carolina
), nicknamed "Natrone Means Business" by ESPN
's Chris Berman, is a former professional American Football
running back
who played for the San Diego Chargers
, Jacksonville Jaguars
, and Carolina Panthers
of the NFL
from 1993 to 2000. He was selected by the Chargers in the 2nd round (41st overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft
.
Means played from 1993 to 1995 for the Chargers, and was a Pro Bowl
selection in 1994 after leading his team to Super Bowl XXIX
versus the San Francisco 49ers
, only to lose 49-26. Scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl, he broke Refrigerator Perry's record for the youngest player to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl. He was waived by San Diego before the 1996 season and signed with the Jaguars. Means returned to San Diego as an unrestricted free agent in 1998, but left as a free agent for the Panthers in 2000. He retired at the end of the 2000 season.
and finished his career with 605 rushing attempts for 3,074 yards (5.1 yards per rushing attempt avg.), and 34 touchdowns, and hauled in 61 receptions for 500 yards (8.19 yards per rec. avg.). He rushed for more than 1,000 yards as both a sophomore and junior.
Natrone is married to Shonda Means, they have 4 children and reside in Huntersville, North Carolina.
in North Carolina, one of the first black colleges to play collegiate football. In 2005 he became Running Backs Coach, and in 2006 was promoted to Offensive Coordinator. He was recruited by Head Coach Robert Massey
, who knew Means because they both played for the Jacksonville Jaguars
in 1996. Means honed his coaching skills while participating in the NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Program during the summer months of 2003 and 2006 with the Atlanta Falcons
. 2007 Means was the offensive coordinator at the historical powerhouse West Charlotte High School in Charlotte, North Carolina
. As of Training Camp for the 2008 season, Natrone is once again participating in the NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Program working with the Running Backs, especially Jonathan Stewart
of the Carolina Panthers
Harrisburg, North Carolina
Harrisburg, a northeastern suburb of Charlotte, is a town in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,819 at the 2008 census.-Geography:Harrisburg is located at ....
), nicknamed "Natrone Means Business" by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's Chris Berman, is a former professional American Football
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...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
who played for the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
of the NFL
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...
from 1993 to 2000. He was selected by the Chargers in the 2nd round (41st overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft
1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 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 25-26, 1993...
.
Means played from 1993 to 1995 for the Chargers, and was a Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection in 1994 after leading his team to Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
versus the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, only to lose 49-26. Scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl, he broke Refrigerator Perry's record for the youngest player to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl. He was waived by San Diego before the 1996 season and signed with the Jaguars. Means returned to San Diego as an unrestricted free agent in 1998, but left as a free agent for the Panthers in 2000. He retired at the end of the 2000 season.
College career
Means attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
and finished his career with 605 rushing attempts for 3,074 yards (5.1 yards per rushing attempt avg.), and 34 touchdowns, and hauled in 61 receptions for 500 yards (8.19 yards per rec. avg.). He rushed for more than 1,000 yards as both a sophomore and junior.
Natrone is married to Shonda Means, they have 4 children and reside in Huntersville, North Carolina.
College Coaching Career
In 2005 Natrone Means joined the staff of Livingstone CollegeLivingstone College
Livingstone College is a private, historically black, four-year college in Salisbury, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church...
in North Carolina, one of the first black colleges to play collegiate football. In 2005 he became Running Backs Coach, and in 2006 was promoted to Offensive Coordinator. He was recruited by Head Coach Robert Massey
Robert Massey
Robert Lee Massey is a former American football cornerback who played for five teams in the NFL from 1989 to 1997. Massey was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1992. He played college football at North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina.-References:...
, who knew Means because they both played for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1996. Means honed his coaching skills while participating in the NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Program during the summer months of 2003 and 2006 with the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. 2007 Means was the offensive coordinator at the historical powerhouse West Charlotte High School in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. As of Training Camp for the 2008 season, Natrone is once again participating in the NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Program working with the Running Backs, especially Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Creon Stewart is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. He was selected by the Panthers in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Oregon.-High school career:Stewart is the career leading rusher in...
of the Carolina Panthers