Nate Burleson
Nate Burleson is a Canadian-born American former professional football wide receiver who played 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) from 2003 to 2013, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, and Detroit Lions, before transitioning to a successful career as an Emmy-winning sports broadcaster and television co-host.[1][2] Born on August 19, 1981, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Burleson was raised in Seattle, Washington, where he attended O'Dea High School before majoring in communications at the University of Nevada, Reno, and starring as a wide receiver for the Nevada Wolf Pack.[2][1] Selected by the Vikings in the third round (71st overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft, Burleson emerged as a versatile player known for his receiving and return skills, accumulating 457 receptions for 5,630 yards and 39 touchdowns over his career, while also recording three punt return touchdowns—all exceeding 90 yards, a unique feat in NFL history as the only player to achieve this.[2][3] His standout seasons included 2004 with the Vikings, when he posted 1,006 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, and 2007 with the Seahawks, leading the NFL with 58 punt returns.[2] After retiring from the NFL following the 2013 season, Burleson quickly pivoted to broadcasting, joining the NFL Network in 2014 as an analyst and co-hosting Good Morning Football for five years.[1][4] He expanded his media presence by becoming a studio analyst for CBS Sports in 2017, earning two Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sports Personality - Studio Analyst and one for Outstanding Playoff Coverage in 2021.[1] Since September 2021, Burleson has co-hosted CBS Mornings, blending sports commentary with general entertainment, and served as a New York correspondent for the syndicated show Extra from 2019 to 2021.[1][5] Beyond television, he hosts a podcast with Uninterrupted, provides voiceover work for DraftKings, and has contributed to documentaries, such as a 2020 NFL Network feature on Fritz Pollard, while advocating for mental health awareness among athletes.[1] Burleson, who resides in New Jersey with his wife Atoya and their three children, has also ventured into entrepreneurship with restaurants, a clothing label, jewelry line, and creative pursuits in art, poetry, and music.[1]Early years
Early life
Nate Burleson was born on August 19, 1981, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to Al Burleson, a defensive back who played for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League from 1976 to 1981.[6] His birth occurred during his father's final season with the team, making Burleson the only one of four brothers born in Canada while the others were born in the United States.[7] In 1983, shortly after Al Burleson's brief professional stint with the Los Angeles Express in the United States Football League, the family relocated to Seattle, Washington, where Al took a job in the private sector.[6] Burleson, then about two years old, spent his formative years in Seattle, immersed in a highly athletic household influenced by his father's background as a University of Washington standout and professional player.[8] Burleson grew up alongside three older brothers—Alvin Jr., Kevin, and Lyndale—all of whom pursued competitive sports, fostering a competitive environment that emphasized discipline and athletic development.[8] His brother Kevin went on to play professionally in the National Basketball Association, appearing in 39 games for the Charlotte Bobcats during the 2005–06 season.[9] From a young age in Seattle, Burleson gained early exposure to football through participation in local youth leagues, where his father served as a coach, instilling foundational skills and a deep appreciation for the game.[6] Around age nine or ten, he discovered his father's Calgary Stampeders memorabilia, which further sparked his passion for football and connected him to his Canadian heritage.[6] This upbringing laid the groundwork for his later athletic pursuits in high school.High school career
Nate Burleson attended O'Dea High School in Seattle, Washington, graduating in 1999.[10] At O'Dea, Burleson emerged as a standout athlete in multiple sports, particularly football, where he played as a wide receiver and cornerback.[11] He earned second-team All-State honors and was selected to the Seattle Times all-area team during his high school career.[11] Burleson also received All-Metro League recognition in football for both his junior and senior years.[11][12] As a senior in 1998, Burleson led his team with impressive receiving production, accumulating nearly 300 yards on 14 receptions, scoring on half of them.[13] His versatility extended to track and field, where he won the Class 3A state championship in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 38.7 seconds, further highlighting his athletic prowess.[11] Burleson's high school excellence culminated in him being named the Seattle Times City Male Athlete of the Year in 1999.[11] His performance drew recruitment interest from several colleges, including Washington State, but he ultimately committed to the University of Nevada, Reno, on a football scholarship.[11]College career
Burleson enrolled at the University of Nevada, Reno, in 1999, where he joined the Nevada Wolf Pack football team as a wide receiver and redshirted his freshman year.[14] He began playing in 2000, following his recruitment from O'Dea High School in Seattle.[2] In his sophomore season of 2000, Burleson broke out with 57 receptions for 921 yards and 8 touchdowns over 12 games, earning Nevada's Offensive Player of the Year award and ranking among the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) leaders in receptions (6th), receiving yards (4th), and touchdowns (3rd).[15][14] His junior year in 2001 saw a dip due to injury, as he recorded 53 receptions for 737 yards and 2 touchdowns in 9 games, including a single-game career-high 326 receiving yards against San Jose State.[15][14] Burleson's senior season in 2002 was a standout, where he exploded for 138 receptions for 1,629 yards and 12 touchdowns across 12 games, leading the NCAA in receptions and the WAC in both receptions and touchdowns.[15][16] This performance earned him first-team All-American honors from the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, Sporting News, and CNN/SI, as well as first-team All-WAC recognition and Nevada's Golden Helmet Award as team MVP.[14] His 138 catches set a school single-season record that still stands and ranked second in NCAA history at the time.[14] Over his college career from 2000 to 2002, Burleson amassed 248 receptions for 3,287 yards and 22 touchdowns in 33 games, ranking third in school history for career receptions and fourth for receiving yards.[15][14]Professional football career
Minnesota Vikings
Burleson was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round, 71st overall, of the 2003 NFL Draft out of the University of Nevada.[2] As a rookie in 2003, Burleson appeared in 16 games, primarily as a rotational receiver and return specialist, recording 29 receptions for 455 yards and two touchdowns.[2] His role expanded in 2004 following injuries to star wide receiver Randy Moss, allowing Burleson to emerge as a key target for quarterback Daunte Culpepper; he started 15 of 16 games and posted 68 receptions for 1,006 yards and nine touchdowns, marking his first 1,000-yard receiving season and leading the team in receiving production.[2][17] Burleson's tenure with the Vikings concluded in 2005 after Moss was traded to the Oakland Raiders in the offseason, positioning him as the primary wideout, but a sprained knee suffered in Week 2 limited his availability.[17] He played in 12 games that year, starting nine, and finished with 30 receptions for 328 yards and one touchdown before being released as a restricted free agent at season's end.[2] Over his three seasons with Minnesota, Burleson appeared in 44 games, establishing himself as a versatile and developing wide receiver.[2]Seattle Seahawks
Burleson, a Seattle native who attended O'Dea High School, returned to his hometown by signing a seven-year, $49 million offer sheet with the Seahawks on March 24, 2006, as a restricted free agent following his tenure with the Minnesota Vikings; the Vikings declined to match, allowing him to join the team.[18][19] He quickly established himself as a versatile contributor on offense and special teams, leveraging skills honed during his early NFL years in Minnesota to serve as a wide receiver and return specialist.[2] In the 2007 season, Burleson recorded 50 receptions for 694 yards and nine touchdowns while leading the NFL with 58 punt returns for 658 yards and one touchdown, setting a Seahawks single-season record for punt return yardage.[2][20] His return prowess peaked that year with a 94-yard punt return touchdown against the Cleveland Browns on November 4, marking the third such score of 90 or more yards in his career (previously a 91-yard return with the Vikings in 2004 and a 90-yard return with the Seahawks in 2006), making him the only player in NFL history to achieve three punt returns of 90-plus yards for touchdowns.[21][22] These explosive plays highlighted his speed and vision, providing critical field position and scoring boosts during a 9-7 campaign. Over four seasons with Seattle from 2006 to 2009, Burleson appeared in 46 games, starting 32, and amassed 136 receptions for 1,758 yards and 15 receiving touchdowns, while adding 2,248 return yards (1,360 on punts and 888 on kickoffs) and three return touchdowns.[2] His multi-faceted role supported the team's efforts amid quarterback transitions and defensive focus, though injuries limited his 2008 to one game after a torn ACL.[2] The Seahawks released Burleson in March 2010 amid ongoing injury concerns, paving the way for his move to the Detroit Lions.[23]Detroit Lions
Burleson signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the Detroit Lions on March 5, 2010, bringing veteran experience to a rebuilding team that had endured a 0-16 record in 2008 and a 2-14 mark in 2009.[24] As a reliable target opposite emerging star Calvin Johnson, he provided stability for young quarterback Matthew Stafford in an offense seeking consistency.[25] In his debut season with Detroit, Burleson appeared in 14 games, recording 55 receptions for 625 yards and a career-high six touchdowns, contributing to the Lions' gradual improvement from their recent lows.[2] His production peaked in 2011 with 73 catches for 757 yards and three touchdowns over 16 games, serving as a key secondary option that helped alleviate defensive focus on Johnson and supported the team's first winning record (10-6) since 2007.[2] Beyond statistics, Burleson's leadership in the locker room fostered team morale during the turnaround.[26] Burleson's tenure was hampered by injuries in his final two seasons. In 2012, a broken right leg sustained in Week 7 against the Washington Redskins limited him to six games, where he managed 27 receptions for 240 yards and two touchdowns before undergoing surgery and missing the remainder of the year.[27] The following year, in 2013, he started strong with 39 catches for 461 yards and one touchdown in nine games but suffered a broken forearm in a single-car accident on September 24, sidelining him for the season after surgery.[28] Over four seasons with the Lions, Burleson totaled 194 receptions for 2,083 yards and 12 touchdowns in 45 games, leaving a mark as a mentor despite the physical setbacks.[2]Cleveland Browns
On April 6, 2014, Burleson signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns, bringing his veteran experience to mentor younger receivers and provide depth at the position.[29][30] During organized team activities in May 2014, Burleson suffered a broken forearm, the second such injury in less than a year after a similar fracture in 2013, sidelining him until training camp.[31][32] A subsequent hamstring injury limited his participation in preseason, where he appeared in only one game with one catch for 27 yards.[33][34] The Browns released Burleson on August 30, 2014, before the regular season began, ending his bid for a 12th NFL campaign.[34][35] At age 33, this release effectively closed his 11-year playing career, in which he appeared in 135 games.[2] In subsequent interviews, Burleson reflected on the abrupt end as a challenging transition, emphasizing his readiness to pivot to broadcasting while expressing gratitude for his on-field journey without a formal farewell.[36][37]NFL statistics and accomplishments
Regular season
Over his 11-season NFL career from 2003 to 2013, Nate Burleson recorded 457 receptions for 5,630 yards and 39 receiving touchdowns.[2] He also contributed 40 rushing attempts for 257 yards and added 2,809 combined punt and kick return yards, including three punt return touchdowns and one kick return touchdown.[2] The following table summarizes Burleson's regular season receiving statistics year by year, organized by team:| Year | Team | Games Played | Receptions | Receiving Yards | Yards per Reception | Receiving Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | MIN | 16 | 29 | 455 | 15.7 | 2 |
| 2004 | MIN | 16 | 68 | 1,006 | 14.8 | 9 |
| 2005 | MIN | 12 | 30 | 328 | 10.9 | 1 |
| 2006 | SEA | 16 | 18 | 192 | 10.7 | 2 |
| 2007 | SEA | 16 | 50 | 694 | 13.9 | 9 |
| 2008 | SEA | 1 | 5 | 60 | 12.0 | 1 |
| 2009 | SEA | 13 | 63 | 812 | 12.9 | 3 |
| 2010 | DET | 14 | 55 | 625 | 11.4 | 6 |
| 2011 | DET | 16 | 73 | 757 | 10.4 | 3 |
| 2012 | DET | 6 | 27 | 240 | 8.9 | 2 |
| 2013 | DET | 9 | 39 | 461 | 11.8 | 1 |
| Career | - | 135 | 457 | 5,630 | 12.3 | 39 |