Ricky Nattiel
Encyclopedia
Richard Rennard "Ricky" Nattiel (born January 25, 1966) is a former American college and professional football
player who was a wide receiver
in the National Football League
(NFL) for six seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Nattiel played college football
for the University of Florida
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Denver Broncos
of the NFL.
in 1966. He attended Newberry High School in nearby Newberry, Florida
, where he the quarterback
for the Newberry Panthers high school football
team. During his senior
season in 1982, Nattiel led his Panthers to a 9–1 regular season and two state playoff victories, before the Panthers lost in the Florida Class 2A state semifinal game. Nattiel also played basketball
and ran track
for the Panthers, and was recognized as an all-county athlete in both.
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he was a wide receiver for coach Charley Pell
and coach Galen Hall
's Florida Gators football
teams from 1983 to 1986. Notwithstanding his high school background as a quarterback, he was recruited as a defensive back
and possibly as a wide receiver, but necessity his freshman
year in 1983 forced the coaches' choice. When senior Gators receiver Dwayne Dixon
was hobbled half way through the season, Nattiel started in his place and established his own reputation as a future star receiver to be watched. Nattiel was a key target of Gators quarterback
Kerwin Bell
during the 1984 and 1985 seasons, when the Gators posted identical 9–1–1 overall win-loss records and led the Southeastern Conference
(SEC) with best-in-the-conference records of 5–0–1 and 5–1. Memorably, he dashed ninety-six yards on a touchdown
pass from Bell in the Gators' 27–0 victory over the rival Georgia Bulldogs
in 1984, contributing to his nickname, "Ricky the Rocket." Nattiel finished his college career with 117 reception
s for 2,086 yards and eighteen touchdowns; he also had 589 yards in punt returns. He was a team captain
, a first-team All-SEC selection and a second-team All-American in 1986, and received the Gators' Fergie Ferguson Award as the senior who most displayed "outstanding leadership, courage and character."
Nattiel was recognized by the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 1984 and 1986. He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
in public health
in 1987, and he was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 1998.
, and he played for the Broncos in six NFL seasons from to , including eight playoff games and two Super Bowl
s. One of the highlights of his professional career was catching a 56-yard touchdown pass from quarterback John Elway
against the Washington Redskins
on the Broncos' first play from scrimmage in Super Bowl XXII
. Nattiel and fellow Broncos wide receivers Vance Johnson
and Mark Jackson all played together from to and were nicknamed "The Three Amigos." He finished his six-year NFL career with 121 receptions for 1,972 yards and eight touchdowns.
Celtics football team in Ocala, Florida
. When former Celtics head coach Kerwin Bell resigned in 2007, Nattiel became the head coach of the Celtics for a single season, leading them to a 7–5 record and a berth in the Florida State 2B regional playoffs.
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...
player who was a wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
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...
(NFL) for six seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Nattiel 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...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and thereafter, he played professionally 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...
of the NFL.
Early life
Nattiel was born in Gainesville, FloridaGainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
in 1966. He attended Newberry High School in nearby Newberry, Florida
Newberry, Florida
Newberry is a city located on the west side of Alachua County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,316 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 3,630 . Much of the city borders the neighboring Gilchrist County to the west...
, where he the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Newberry Panthers high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
team. During his senior
Senior (education)
Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:...
season in 1982, Nattiel led his Panthers to a 9–1 regular season and two state playoff victories, before the Panthers lost in the Florida Class 2A state semifinal game. Nattiel also played basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and ran track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
for the Panthers, and was recognized as an all-county athlete in both.
College career
Nattiel received an athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he was a wide receiver for coach Charley Pell
Charley Pell
Charles Byron "Charley" Pell was an American college football player and coach. Pell was an Alabama native and an alumnus of the University of Alabama, where he played college football. He is most notably remembered as the head coach of the Clemson University and the University of Florida...
and coach Galen Hall
Galen Hall
Galen Samuel Hall is an American college and professional football coach and former player. He is a native of Pennsylvania, and an alumnus of Penn State University, where he played college football...
's Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
teams from 1983 to 1986. Notwithstanding his high school background as a quarterback, he was recruited as a defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
and possibly as a wide receiver, but necessity his freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
year in 1983 forced the coaches' choice. When senior Gators receiver Dwayne Dixon
Dwayne Dixon
Dwayne Keith Dixon is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League and Arena Football League...
was hobbled half way through the season, Nattiel started in his place and established his own reputation as a future star receiver to be watched. Nattiel was a key target of Gators quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Kerwin Bell
Kerwin Bell
Kerwin Douglas Bell is an American college and professional football coach and former player who was a quarterback in the National Football League , World League of American Football and the Canadian Football League for fourteen seasons in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s...
during the 1984 and 1985 seasons, when the Gators posted identical 9–1–1 overall win-loss records and led the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) with best-in-the-conference records of 5–0–1 and 5–1. Memorably, he dashed ninety-six yards on a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
pass from Bell in the Gators' 27–0 victory over the rival Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
in 1984, contributing to his nickname, "Ricky the Rocket." Nattiel finished his college career with 117 reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
s for 2,086 yards and eighteen touchdowns; he also had 589 yards in punt returns. He was a team captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
, a first-team All-SEC selection and a second-team All-American in 1986, and received the Gators' Fergie Ferguson Award as the senior who most displayed "outstanding leadership, courage and character."
Nattiel was recognized by the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 1984 and 1986. He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
in 1987, and he was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 1998.
Professional career
The Denver Broncos chose Nattiel in the first round (27th overall pick) of the 1987 NFL Draft1987 NFL Draft
The 1987 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 28–29, 1987...
, and he played for the Broncos in six NFL seasons from to , including eight playoff games and two 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...
s. One of the highlights of his professional career was catching a 56-yard touchdown pass from quarterback John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
on the Broncos' first play from scrimmage in Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
. Nattiel and fellow Broncos wide receivers Vance Johnson
Vance Johnson
Vance Edward Johnson , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 174 lb...
and Mark Jackson all played together from to and were nicknamed "The Three Amigos." He finished his six-year NFL career with 121 receptions for 1,972 yards and eight touchdowns.
Life after the NFL
Nattiel, who is Roman Catholic, was formerly the junior varsity coach and wide receivers coach of the Trinity Catholic High SchoolTrinity Catholic High School (Florida)
Trinity Catholic High School is a Roman Catholic college preparatory day school in Ocala, Florida, operated by the Christian Brothers. Located in the Diocese of Orlando, Trinity Catholic is the first and only Catholic high school in metropolitan Ocala....
Celtics football team in Ocala, Florida
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
. When former Celtics head coach Kerwin Bell resigned in 2007, Nattiel became the head coach of the Celtics for a single season, leading them to a 7–5 record and a berth in the Florida State 2B regional playoffs.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1980–1989
- History of the Denver BroncosHistory of the Denver BroncosThe history of the Denver Broncos American football club began when the team was chartered a member of the American Football League in 1960. The Broncos have played in the city of Denver, Colorado throughout their nearly 50 year history. The Broncos did not win any championships as members of the...
- List of Denver Broncos first-round draft picks
- List of Florida Gators football players
- List of University of Florida alumni