Patriots safety Nate Ebner was a rugby player before he was a football player, and so when he saw an opportunity to make the U.S. Olympic rugby sevens team this year, he went for it -- even though the Olympics overlap with training camp.
Fortunately for Ebner, Patriots coach Bill Belichick is fine with that. Belichick said he knows Ebner will come to camp in shape and ready to go, and Ebner said today on the Dan Patrick Show that he appreciates Belichick and the rest of the organization doing that.
“We had lots of conversations about my desire to try to be a part of the Olympics. Many conversations were had and ultimately they backed me the entire way and gave me their blessing. I’m extremely thankful and grateful they gave me that opportunity, because without that blessing I don’t know that I would be here,” Ebner said.
Ebner said he thinks Team USA will “definitely contend for a medal.” After that, he’ll try to help the Patriots contend for a Super Bowl.
