Editing Nate Burleson (section)

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
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|         note = All values from [[NFL Combine]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=258&DraftYear=2003 |title=2003 NFL Draft Scout Nate Burleson College Football Profile |access-date=November 28, 2018 |website=DraftScout.com}}</ref>
}}

===Minnesota Vikings===
Burleson was selected in the third round of the [[2003 NFL draft]] by the [[2003 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]], the 71st overall pick.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2003 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2003/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Despite showing promise, Burleson did not put up strong numbers during his rookie season. In his second season, [[2004 Minnesota Vikings season|2004]], an injury to fellow receiver [[Randy Moss]] opened up opportunity for Burleson as he became the team's number one receiver. Burleson put up strong numbers, reaching over 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career. Not only a good receiver, but also a standout special teams player, Burleson is the only player in NFL history to have three punt returns of 90 or more yards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BurlNa00.htm|title=Nate Burleson Stats|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}</ref>

===Seattle Seahawks===
[[File:Nate Burleson Seahawks.jpg|thumb|Burleson with the Seahawks in [[2009 Seattle Seahawks season|2009]]]]
On March 24, [[2006 Seattle Seahawks season|2006]], Burleson signed a seven-year $49 million offer sheet to play with his hometown [[Seattle Seahawks]]. In retribution for the Vikings signing an offer sheet with former Seahawks guard [[Steve Hutchinson (American football)|Steve Hutchinson]], the Seahawks put clauses in Burleson's offer sheet which made it virtually impossible for Minnesota to match (similar to what the Vikings did with Hutchinson). The offer sheet stated that the entire $49 million would be guaranteed if Burleson played five games, in one season, in the state of [[Minnesota]], or if his average per year exceeded the average of all [[running back]]s on the team combined. The Vikings played eight home games a year in Minneapolis, and at the time of the offer sheet, the team spent far less than $7 million per year for its entire running back corps. On the other hand, Seattle was spending over $7 million a year on just one of its running backs ([[Shaun Alexander]]). The Vikings had seven days to match the offer sheet but declined to do so.  Minnesota received Seattle's third-round pick in the [[2006 NFL draft]]; Seattle, however, received no compensation for the departure of Hutchinson.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/11703791.html |title=Archived copy |website=[[Star Tribune]] |access-date=September 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018151110/http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/11703791.html |archive-date=October 18, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On September 7, 2008, Burleson tore a ligament in his knee in Seattle's season opener against the Bills. He was put on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.

Burleson owns the Seahawk team record for most punt return yards in a single season ([[2007 Seattle Seahawks season|2007]]) as well as career punt return yards.

===Detroit Lions===
During the early hours of the NFL free agency period on March 5, 2010, Burleson agreed to a five-year $25 million contract with the [[Detroit Lions]].<ref name="r535">{{Cite web |last=Clayton |first=John |author-link=John Clayton (sportswriter) |date=2010-03-05 |title=Source: Lions, Burleson agree to 5-year deal |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4967481 |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> Burleson reunited with his former offensive coordinator, [[Scott Linehan]], with whom he had his best season of his career in 2004, when he caught 68 passes for 1,006 yards and nine touchdowns while playing for the Vikings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Detroit Free Press Detroit Lions Section |url=http://www.freep.com/article/20100304/SPORTS01/100305004/Lions-sign-WR-Nate-Burleson-to-five-year-deal |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20150924051559/http://www.freep.com/article/20100304/SPORTS01/100305004/Lions-sign-WR-Nate-Burleson-to-five-year-deal |archive-date=2015-09-24 |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en}}</ref> In 2011, Burleson was named recipient of the Detroit Lions-Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association/Pro Football Writers Association's Media-Friendly "Good Guy Award" for his interactions with the media. On September 24, 2013, Burleson fractured his forearm in two places in an early morning, single-car crash.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/9715810/detroit-lions-wr-nate-burleson-breaks-arm-car-crash|title=Lions WR Burleson breaks arm in car crash|date=September 24, 2013|website=ESPN.com}}</ref>  It was reported that Burleson was attempting to save a pizza from falling off a seat in his car and lost control of his vehicle. He was cut from the Lions on February 13, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|work=NFL.com|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nate-burleson-released-by-detroit-lions-0ap2000000325682|title=Nate Burleson released by Detroit Lions|first=Gregg|last=Rosenthal|date=February 13, 2014|access-date=July 8, 2014}}</ref>

===Cleveland Browns===
[[File:Nate Burleson 2014 Browns training camp.jpg|thumb|Burleson with the Browns in 2014]]
On April 6, 2014, Burleson signed a one-year deal with the [[Cleveland Browns]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nate-burleson-cleveland-browns-reach-one-year-deal-0ap2000000339699 |title=Nate Burleson, Cleveland Browns strike one-year deal |publisher=NFL |access-date=April 6, 2014}}</ref> but was cut on August 30.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/11435826/nate-burleson-cut-cleveland-browns|title=Nate Burleson cut by Cleveland Browns|work=ESPN.com|date=August 30, 2014|access-date=August 30, 2014}}</ref>