FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Bill Belichick’s Patriots already have four Super Bowl trophies. Now they’re hoping to add an Olympic gold medal winner.
Special-teams standout Nate Ebner has an excused absence from the first two weeks of the Patriots’ training camp so he can be in Rio de Janeiro for the Summer Olympics after being named to the USA Sevens Rugby team.
Ebner, 27, is pursuing the Olympics as a tribute to his late father, Jeff, a former rugby player at the University of Minnesota who was beaten to death by a robber at his Columbus, Ohio, auto salvage shop in 2008.
“I’m just so happy for him,” Patriots special-teams captain Matthew Slater said. “And I know why rugby means so much to him. Many of us are familiar with the situation with his father. His father obviously introduced him to the game of [rugby], so that connection with father and son is bigger than sport itself. I know this means a great deal to him, and we’re all excited for him.”
Ebner, a fourth-year pro who has appeared in 57 games with the Patriots, tried out for the Olympics this spring with the team’s blessing after playing rugby his first two years at Ohio State. He is the only active NFL player set to compete in the Rio games.
“I’ve talked to Nate several times and wish him well in his endeavor,” Belichick said Wednesday as the Patriots reported to camp. “It’s a great opportunity for him to follow his passion, participate in the Olympic Games. We’re pulling for him to bring back something around his neck.”
The rugby sevens competition is set for Aug. 9-11, and Ebner is expected to come off the bench for the US team. The Americans finished sixth in each of the past two HSBC Sevens World Series.