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NATE BOYER
Nate Boyer is what many would deem a renaissance man. The Army Green Beret is also a philanthropist, humanitarian, and former football player for the Texas Longhorns (despite never playing a down of organized football prior to the Special Forces), and later for the Seattle Seahawks becoming the oldest rookie in NFL history at age 34. Being a member of both the military veteran and athlete community, he saw an opportunity to team up both populations to tackle their transition struggles together through his charity Merging Vets & Players (MVP). Boyer’s belief that “Anything is Possible” has served him well throughout his life, and has made him especially fit to speak to finding one’s passions and living with purpose. Nate currently works in Film and TV as a producer, director, actor, and host. Among several other projects he currently produces and hosts the NFL Network show: Indivisible with Nate Boyer which features NFL cities, players, and community leaders across America, discussing issues relevant to their communities and how football unites us all to solve these problems.
MILITARY CAREER
After joining the US Army in 2005, Boyer earned the coveted Green Beret in December, 2006. He was stationed in Okinawa throughout most of 2007 with 1st Special Forces Group. In April of 2008, Nate was deployed with ODA 0324 10th Special Forces Group to Iraq and served his tour of duty until January of 2009. He then served tours in Afghanistan from April-August, 2013 (Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan) and from April-August, 2014 (ODA 3116 3rd Special Forces Group). In addition to his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Boyer completed a number of JCET (Joint Command Exchange Training) Missions to Israel (2009), Bulgaria (2011), and Greece (2012).
FOOTBALL CAREER
Despite never playing a down of organized football in his life, Boyer played for the University of Texas as a walk-on. He was a redshirt for his freshman year in 2010, while playing once in 2011 against Texas Tech as a member of the kickoff team. The following year, he became the team's starting long snapper, and played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns. From 2012–2014, he was a first-team Academic All-Big 12 Conference member, while also being named an Academic All-American in 2012. He was also named the 2012–13 Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year, the third Longhorn to be honored, and was the inaugural winner of the Armed Forces Merit Award. From 2013–14, he was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy. In 2015, he was named to the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which recognizes athletes with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2 during their college careers. Boyer graduated in May 2013 with a physical culture and sports degree
NFL OPPORTUNITY
Boyer was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, although he attended Texas' Pro Day on March 24, 2015. Boyer later attended the San Francisco 49ers' Pro Day on April 17, 2015. After going undrafted in the 2015 NFL draft, Boyer signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks on May 2, 2015. He was involved in three plays in the Seahawks' first preseason game against the Denver Broncos, and recorded a tackle. He was released by the Seahawks on August 18, 2015.
MERGING VETS & PLAYERS
​In 2015, Boyer and Fox Sports analyst Jay Glazer founded Merging Vets & Players (MVP), a foundation to support military veterans and retired athletes.
They wanted to address the challenges that combat veterans and former professional athletes face in transition once the uniform comes off.
MVP empowers combat veterans and former professional athletes by connecting them after the uniform comes off; providing them with a new team to assist with transition, promote personal development, and show them they are never alone.
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