Editing Nate Newton (section)

==Professional career==

===Washington Redskins===
Although he was selected by the [[Tampa Bay Bandits]] in the [[1983 USFL Territorial Draft]], he opted to sign as an [[undrafted free agent]] with the [[Washington Redskins]] in May.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1983/07/18/redskins-gray-area-time-to-dream-big/3f90134e-905f-4b72-bce2-db8e2c9907f1/|title=Redskins' Gray Area: Time to Dream Big|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref> On August 29, 1983, he was waived and was injured in a serious car accident on the same night he was cut.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1983/08/30/redskins-cut-harmon-williams-and-owen/722f1aba-2a1d-4a27-a5a3-6c8d0fc15253/|title=Redskins Cut Harmon, Williams and Owen|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref>

===Tampa Bay Bandits===
In February 1984, he signed with the [[Tampa Bay Bandits]] of the defunct [[United States Football League]], who drafted him in 1983, in what the [[United States Football League|USFL]] called a [[USFL Territorial Draft|Territorial Draft]]. He played there for two years (1984 and 1985) as an [[Tackle (American football)|offensive tackle]], under head coach [[Steve Spurrier]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/famu/2022/06/17/famu-football-nate-newton-joins-black-college-football-hall-fame/7634332001/|title='Happening for the good': FAMU's Nate Newton entering Black College Football Hall of Fame |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref>

===Dallas Cowboys===
In [[1986 NFL season|1986]], Newton signed as a [[free agent]] with the [[Dallas Cowboys]] after the [[United States Football League|USFL]] folded. He started out as a reserve [[offensive line]]man, and was nicknamed "the Kitchen" because he was bigger than [[William Perry (American football)|William "the Refrigerator" Perry]], of [[Chicago Bears]] fame.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=CCDAF82F-CE8D-5D9A-C45660E96CF41D13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614065255/http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=CCDAF82F-CE8D-5D9A-C45660E96CF41D13 |archive-date=June 14, 2012 |title=The 53: Nate Newton Was Always On Guard}}</ref> Even though he became a starter at [[Guard (American football)|left guard]] in [[1987 NFL season|1987]], his struggles to maintain his playing weight almost cost him being waived. [[Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)|Jimmy Johnson]] became the Cowboys coach in [[1989 NFL season|1989]] and eventually moved him to the starting [[Tackle (American football)|right tackle]] position and forced him to get into better shape after Johnson beat him in a running race.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfl.com/videos/a-football-life-nate-newton-provided-an-anchor-for-the-cowboys-279313|title='A Football Life: The Great Wall of Dallas'- Nate the Kitchen|website=[[NFL.com]] |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref>

In [[1992 NFL season|1992]], because of the improved play of [[Erik Williams]], he was moved back to [[Guard (American football)|left guard]], in order for the team to have the best player combination possible in the [[offensive line]]. From [[1992 NFL season|1992]] to [[1995 NFL season|1995]], together with [[Erik Williams]], [[Mark Tuinei]], [[Mark Stepnoski]], [[John Gesek]] and [[Kevin Gogan]], he was part of some of the best [[offensive line]]s to play in [[NFL]] history, known as “The Great Wall of Dallas”.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/cowboys/2013/12/03/great-wall-of-dallas-erik-williams-mark-tuinei-nate-newton-mark-stepnoski/3859515/|title=An O-line remembered: 'The Great Wall of Dallas' among Cowboys' greats|website=[[USA Today]] |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref>

Newton was a six-time [[Pro Bowl]]er, attending the game from [[1992 NFL season|1992]] through [[1996 NFL season|1996]] and once again in [[1998 NFL season|1998]]. Only [[Larry Allen]] (10), [[Zack Martin]] (9), and [[Tyron Smith]] (8) have been to more [[Pro Bowl]]s with the Cowboys on the [[offensive line]]. He is tied with [[Rayfield Wright]] and [[John Niland (American football)|John Niland]] for six appearances each. He was not re-signed by the Cowboys after his contract expired at the end of the 1998 season.

His ability to protect [[quarterback]] [[Troy Aikman]] and to run-block for [[running back]] [[Emmitt Smith]] helped the Cowboys win 3 [[Super Bowl]]s in [[1992 NFL season|1992]], [[1993 NFL season|1993]], and [[1995 NFL season|1995]].

He was one of the best [[Guard (American football)|guards]] in the [[NFL]] for over a decade. He was a very powerful player and was known from some great confrontations against [[Reggie White]] among other great players. Despite playing in the trenches, Newton was one of the more colorful players in Cowboys history.

===Carolina Panthers===
On June 16, [[1999 NFL season|1999]], he signed as a [[free agent]] with the [[Carolina Panthers]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/17/sports/plus-pro-football-carolina-newton-signs-with-panthers.html|title=PLUS: PRO FOOTBALL -- CAROLINA; Newton Signs With Panthers|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 17, 1999 |access-date=August 27, 2022}}</ref> He played in seven games as a backup guard. On December 14, he was placed on the [[injured reserve list]] with a torn right triceps tendon.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19991215&id=LC4jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=088EAAAAIBAJ&pg=4639,6413377|title=Herald-Journal - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|access-date=August 27, 2022}}</ref> He wasn't re-signed after the season.