Tony Nathan
Encyclopedia
Tony Curtis Nathan is an American football
coach and former running back
.
Nathan was a running back from Alabama who was selected in the third round (61st overall) of the 1979 NFL Draft
by the Miami Dolphins
, with whom he played from 1979
-1987
. A smart and elusive runner with great pass-catching abilities, he was undersized and so would rarely receive the lion's share of carries.
In his four seasons with the Crimson Tide, Nathan rushed for 1,997 yards, with 29 touchdowns and a 6.4 yards per carry average. Also excelling as a kick returner, he finished his college career with 30 touchdowns and 3,362 all-purpose yards, including a 10.9 average in yards per punt return.
Nathan was the Dolphins' starting running back in Super Bowl XVII
and Super Bowl XIX
. He had a superb performance in Super Bowl XIX, with 18 yards rushing and 10 receptions for 83 yards. His ten receptions were the second most in Super Bowl
history at the time. He was also instrumental in the Dolphins' 45-28 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the 1985 AFC Championship game, in which he rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown, and caught eight receptions for 114 yards. He also had a key performance in the 1981 AFC Divisional playoff game against the San Diego Chargers
that became known as "The Epic In Miami
". Nathan gained 169 total yards and scored two touchdowns in the Dolphins' narrow loss, including a score on the famous "hook and lateral" play in which he caught a toss from receiver Duriel Harris
.
He finished his nine NFL seasons with 3,543 yards rushing, 383 receptions for 3,592 yards, and 32 touchdowns (16 each rushing and receiving). He also completed four of eight passes for 61 yards and a touchdown. He retired from playing in 1988
, and became an assistant to Don Shula
. He became the Dolphins' running backs coach
in 1993
. He served under Tony Dungy
as the running backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
from 1996
to 2001
. The Bucs ranked 22nd in the NFL in rushing offense in his first year, but rose steadily to 11th and then 4th in the next two seasons. The Bucs fell to 30th in the league in rushing in 2001
, and he was replaced by incoming head coach Jon Gruden
.
From 2003 to 2005, Nathan was the running backs coach at Florida International University
, under head coach and former Dolphins teammate Don Strock
.
Nathan was inducted into the Senior Bowl
Hall of Fame in 2006, along with Curtis Martin
and Michael Strahan
.http://www.seniorbowl.com/2006/news/2006halloffameclass.htm Additionally, he returned to the NFL coaching ranks as the Baltimore Ravens
' running backs coach
. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens08feb08,1,5163809.story?ctrack=1&cset=truehttp://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article.jsp?id=8099 On February 4th, 2008 Nathan was hired as the San Francisco 49ers
' running backs coach, making him the 24th former Raven to join the 49ers since Mike Nolan
became the head coach. Nathan was fired by the 49ers on December 30th, 2008.
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...
coach and former 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...
.
Nathan was a running back from Alabama who was selected in the third round (61st overall) of the 1979 NFL Draft
1979 NFL Draft
The 1979 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 May 3–4, 1979...
by the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, with whom he played from 1979
1979 Miami Dolphins season
The 1979 Miami Dolphins season was the 14th year of existence for the Miami Dolphins franchise. Although they finished at 10–6, one win fewer than the previous year, they were still able to win the AFC East Division outright...
-1987
1987 Miami Dolphins season
The 1987 Miami Dolphins season was the team's 22nd as a member of the National Football League. The Dolphins improved upon their previous season's output of 8–8, losing one fewer game. Despite the improvement the team failed to reach the playoffs.-Schedule:...
. A smart and elusive runner with great pass-catching abilities, he was undersized and so would rarely receive the lion's share of carries.
In his four seasons with the Crimson Tide, Nathan rushed for 1,997 yards, with 29 touchdowns and a 6.4 yards per carry average. Also excelling as a kick returner, he finished his college career with 30 touchdowns and 3,362 all-purpose yards, including a 10.9 average in yards per punt return.
Nathan was the Dolphins' starting running back in Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII was an American football game played on January 30, 1983 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the strike-shortened 1982 regular season...
and Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX was an American football game played on January 20, 1985 at Stanford Stadium, on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1984 regular season...
. He had a superb performance in Super Bowl XIX, with 18 yards rushing and 10 receptions for 83 yards. His ten receptions were the second most in 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...
history at the time. He was also instrumental in the Dolphins' 45-28 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the 1985 AFC Championship game, in which he rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown, and caught eight receptions for 114 yards. He also had a key performance in the 1981 AFC Divisional playoff game against 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...
that became known as "The Epic In Miami
The Epic in Miami
The Epic in Miami is the name given to a National Football League AFC divisional playoff game between the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins that took place on January 2, 1982 in the Miami Orange Bowl...
". Nathan gained 169 total yards and scored two touchdowns in the Dolphins' narrow loss, including a score on the famous "hook and lateral" play in which he caught a toss from receiver Duriel Harris
Duriel Harris
Duriel LaDon Harris, Jr. is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, and the Dallas Cowboys...
.
He finished his nine NFL seasons with 3,543 yards rushing, 383 receptions for 3,592 yards, and 32 touchdowns (16 each rushing and receiving). He also completed four of eight passes for 61 yards and a touchdown. He retired from playing in 1988
1988 NFL season
The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division....
, and became an assistant to Don Shula
Don Shula
Donald Francis "Don" Shula is a former American football cornerback and coach.He is best known as coach of the Miami Dolphins, the team he led to two Super Bowl victories, and to the National Football League's only perfect season. Shula was named 1993 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated....
. He became the Dolphins' running backs coach
Running backs coach
A running backs coach is a coach in charge of the running backs in gridiron football. The running backs coach typically operates under the team's offensive coordinator....
in 1993
1993 Miami Dolphins season
The 1993 Miami Dolphins' season was the 28th for the franchise and 24th in the NFL. The season was marked by Don Shula becoming the winningest coach in NFL history, passing George Halas against the Philadelphia Eagles...
. He served under Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
as the running backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
from 1996
1996 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1996 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 7-9 season. It was the first season for Tony Dungy as the team's head coach who had no previous experience as a head coach. Prior to the season the Buccaneers were still unsure if the team would remain in Tampa Bay or...
to 2001
2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on a 10-6 season. It was Tony Dungy's final season as the Buccaneers head coach. He was fired after losing in the playoffs to Philadelphia for the second straight season.-Staff:...
. The Bucs ranked 22nd in the NFL in rushing offense in his first year, but rose steadily to 11th and then 4th in the next two seasons. The Bucs fell to 30th in the league in rushing in 2001
2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on a 10-6 season. It was Tony Dungy's final season as the Buccaneers head coach. He was fired after losing in the playoffs to Philadelphia for the second straight season.-Staff:...
, and he was replaced by incoming head coach Jon Gruden
Jon Gruden
Jon David Gruden is an American football analyst and former head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for seven seasons and prior to that the Oakland Raiders for four seasons. In his first year as the head coach of Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII, defeating the Raiders whom he had...
.
From 2003 to 2005, Nathan was the running backs coach at Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
, under head coach and former Dolphins teammate Don Strock
Don Strock
Don Strock is a former professional football player who was the head coach of the Florida International University football team from 2002–2006.-College:Strock played college football at Virginia Tech, and graduated in 1973...
.
Nathan was inducted into the Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
Hall of Fame in 2006, along with Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin
Curtis James Martin, Jr. is a former American football running back. He is an alumnus of Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh...
and Michael Strahan
Michael Strahan
Michael Anthony Strahan is a former National Football League defensive end who played his entire career for the New York Giants; a career where he set the record for the most sacks in a single season and won a Super Bowl in his final year. He is currently a football analyst on Fox NFL Sunday, and...
.http://www.seniorbowl.com/2006/news/2006halloffameclass.htm Additionally, he returned to the NFL coaching ranks as the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
' running backs coach
Running backs coach
A running backs coach is a coach in charge of the running backs in gridiron football. The running backs coach typically operates under the team's offensive coordinator....
. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens08feb08,1,5163809.story?ctrack=1&cset=truehttp://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article.jsp?id=8099 On February 4th, 2008 Nathan was hired as 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...
' running backs coach, making him the 24th former Raven to join the 49ers since Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan is an American football coach and the current defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins...
became the head coach. Nathan was fired by the 49ers on December 30th, 2008.